Current Summary of Holly Clegg Research Supported Fund for Gastric Cancer Projects

With groundbreaking research, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center’s physicians have pioneered many improvements in treating stomach cancer. Our faculty have led some of the largest international studies on chemotherapy for stomach cancer, and we continue to explore new, more advanced treatments. It has been our privilege to build several programs in gastric cancer focused on our core values of caring and discovery.

Our multidisciplinary gastric cancer research team —Brian Badgwell, M.D., Professor of Surgical Oncology and Mariela Blum, M.D., Associate Professor of Medical Oncology — has worked to improve outcomes for patients with gastric cancer at every stage and step along their pathway of care. We thank you for supporting the following projects with funding.

Gastric Cancer Peritoneal Program

The peritoneum (lining of the abdomen) is the most common site of metastasis in patients with gastric cancer; it represents a particularly aggressive form of metastasis that is very difficult to treat with standard chemotherapy. Hyperthermic intraperitoneal perfusion with chemotherapy (HIPEC) is a developing approach that delivers high concentrations of chemotherapy directly to the tumor while limiting systemic toxicity. Mrs. Clegg participated in the first completed clinical trial of cytoreduction (surgical removal of cancerous tissue) and HIPEC used together for gastric cancer in the U.S.

These results were recently presented at the Society of Surgical Oncology Annual Meeting and published in the Annals of Surgical Oncology.  In short, we have found the potential for long term survival in patients with stage IV gastric cancer metastatic to the lining of the abdomen as part of a comprehensive approach.  However, only 4 out of 20 patients were able to achieve long survival and there is clearly much more work to be done!  We have now initiated a phase I clinical trial of repeated intraabdominal chemotherapy and are pleased to report this trial is going very well, even in the setting of a pandemic.

Preoperative therapy trial

As national leaders in the application of chemotherapy and radiation prior to removing the gastric cancer tumor, we are proud to report we have several trials in this area.  We have recently activated a new short course chemoradiotherapy phase I trial that incorporates a much more patient-centered approach to gastric cancer treatment.  We also continue are work maintaining a comprehensive gastric cancer research database that allows us to perform high quality research on all of our patients that receive treatment here at MD Anderson, as well as perform research on national datasets.

Future Research

We have many planned research projects such as early identification of intraperitoneal cancer cells, immunotherapy, and novel methods of administering cancer therapy within the abdomen.  We are educating surgeons around the world on HIPEC for gastric cancer as shown by our recent presentations at The American College of Surgeons, International Symposium on Regional Cancer Therapies, Society of Surgical Oncology, Medstar Gastric and Soft Tissue Neoplasms 2020, Korean International Gastric Cancer Week, and International Gastric Cancer Congress.  In addition, MD Anderson is the host for the International Gastric Cancer Congress now scheduled for 2021, and our intraperitoneal program will be featured prominently at this meeting of over 2000 gastric cancer specialists.

Current Research Publications

The publications below include an acknowledgement of support from the Holly Clegg Gastric Cancer Research Fund.  We have many other manuscripts in preparation that will continue to honor Mrs. Clegg’s legacy of helping others.  We also acknowledge the support during our presentations at national meetings, most recently the Society of Surgical Oncology and International Symposium on Regional Cancer Therapy.

1. Blumenthaler AN, Ikoma N, Blum M, Das P, Minsky BD, Mansfield PF, Ajani JA, Badgwell BD. Relationship between initial management strategy and survival in patients with gastric outlet obstruction due to gastric cancer. J Surg Oncol. 2020 Aug 18, Online ahead of print. PMID: 32810292.
2. Blumenthaler AN, Allen CJ, Ikoma N, Blum M, Das P, Minsky BD, Mansfield PF, Ajani JA,Badgwell BD. Laparoscopic HIPEC for Low-Volume Peritoneal Metastasis in Gastric and Gastroesophageal Adenocarcinoma. Ann Surg Oncol. 2020 Jul 31, Online ahead of print. PMID: 32737700.
3. White MG, Kothari A, Ikoma N, Murphy MB, Song S, Ajani J, Mansfield P,Badgwell B. Factors Associated with Resection and Survival After Laparoscopic HIPEC for Peritoneal Gastric Cancer Metastases.  Ann Surg Oncol. 2020 Jul 9, Online ahead of print. PMID: 32648181.
4. Badgwell B, Ikoma N, Murphy MB, Wang X, Estrella J, Roy-Chowdhuri S, Das P, Minsky BD, Lano E, Song S, Mansfield P, Ajani J. A Phase II Trial of Cytoreduction, Gastrectomy, and Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Perfusion with Chemotherapy for Patients with Gastric Cancer and Carcinomatosis or Positive Cytology.  Ann Surg Oncol. 2020 Jun 17, Online ahead of print. PMID: 32556731.

The support from this fund goes well beyond the financial means to continue research.  The inspiration and motivation from your participation as a team member in our fight against gastric cancer is just as important.  Thank you again for all you do!

Sincerely,

Brian Badgwell, MD, MS

Professor of Surgery

Chief, Section of Gastric, Peritoneal, and Acute Care Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgical Oncology, MD Anderson Cancer Center

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