UCLA Journal of Radiation Oncology SUMMER 2024 - Flipbook - Page 33
UCLA RADIATION ONCOLOGY JOURNAL
The team has already identified a key
biomarker, PROSTOX, that predicts late
genitourinary toxicity after advanced
radiation therapy, and they hope to
further validate the predictive power
of PROSTOX in additional patient
cohorts. They also plan to investigate the
biological differences in patients with
these biomarkers and evaluate the use of
highly precise adaptive radiotherapy to
reduce these and other side effects in all
patients.
Contributed by: Denise Heady
Denise Heady is a science communications and media relations
manager at UCLA Health. She covers the clinical cancer program
along with basic and clinical translational research for the UCLA
Health Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center.
Cancer Center Members
Amar Kishan, MD
Radiation Oncology
Joanne B. Weidhaas, MD, PhD, MBM
Radiation Oncology
Nicholas G. Nickols, MD, PhD
Radiation Oncology
“Our goal is to improve the post-treatment
quality of life for patients with prostate
cancer by predicting and preventing
the adverse effects of radiation therapy,"
said Kishan. "This grant will allow us to
expand our research and bring us closer
to achieving that goal.”
Dorthe Schaue, PhD
Radiation Oncology
Donatello Telesca, PhD
Team Member
Minsong Cao, PhD, DABR, FAAPM
Radiation Oncology
“By understanding the mirSNP genetic
markers that predispose patients to
adverse side effects from cancer therapy,
we can tailor these therapies to minimize
harm and maximize efficacy,” said
co-investigator Dr. Joanne Weidhaas,
Professor of Radiation Oncology, Vice
Chair and Head of Translational Research
and Co-Developer of the PROSTOX test.
“This work has the potential to improve
the lives of countless patients.”
Other investigators include Dr. Nicholas
Nickols, assistant professor of radiation
oncology; Dorthe Schaue, associate
professor of radiation oncology; Minsong
Cao, professor of radiation oncology
and Donatello Telesca, professor of
biostatistics. All are members of the
UCLA Health Jonsson Comprehensive
Cancer Center and the David Geffen
School of Medicine at UCLA. ☐
33