Research Abstract
The development of my career as a thoracic oncologist has been fueled primarily by a desire to improve patient outcomes in lung cancer and mesothelioma. My clinical research efforts have been largely directed at the use of targeted therapies in these diseases. I have played leading roles in several trials assessing the use of small molecule inhibitors of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) in both non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and mesothlioma. My translational and database work has allowed for a more focused analysis of the impact of specific genotypic changes on clinical outcomes to treatment; an assessment of the use of clinical and molecular predictors of sensitivity; and a comparison of the impact of genotypic changes between populations from Asia vs. US/Europe.
My clinical care of patients with lung cancer and mesothelioma is of great personal importance to me. Everything else in my professional career ultimately stems from that: whether delivering presentations here or abroad to educate other oncologists, mentoring or precepting fellows in our medical oncology clinic, or analyzing the latest results from our clinical trials, I profoundly hope that my efforts will help to improve the lives of these and future patients as we together combat the morbidity of these thoracic malignancies.