Teresa A. Gilewski, MD

2009-2010 BCRF Project:
Co-Investigator: Philip O. Livingston, MD, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York

The investigators have prepared vaccines against a series of antigens that are expressed on the surface of most breast cancer cells and identified six (globo H, sLea, MUC1, Tn, TF and sTn) that were particularly effective in previous BCRF supported trials at inducing an immune response in vaccinated breast cancer patients. This includes the most recent addition (sLea) which has induced an antibody response in five consecutive patients in a currently ongoing BCRF supported trial. They plan to complete this small trial over the next two months.

During the next funding period they will prepare a vaccine containing all six of these breast cancer antigens, a hexavalent vaccine, and initiate a small pilot trial to determine the best way to combine this vaccine with systemic chemotherapy. Finally, they will initiate a randomized, double blind Phase II trial comparing chemotherapy plus non-specific immunization (immunological adjuvant OPT-821) to chemotherapy plus specific immunization against breast cancer (the hexavalent vaccine plus OPT-821). Approximately 120 patients with progressive breast cancer who are candidates for second or third line chemotherapy will be accrued, randomized and treated at MSKCC over a two year period.

Bio:
Dr. Teresa Gilewski is a medical oncologist on the Breast Cancer Service, Department of Medicine, at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. Dr. Gilewski received a BS from Gannon University and a MD from Hahnemann University as part of a six-year combined BS/MD program. She then completed training in internal medicine at Northwestern Memorial Hospital followed by a fellowship in hematology/oncology at the University of Chicago.

Her current focus of research is the development of vaccines for patients with breast cancer at high risk of recurrence. In collaboration with colleagues from the immunology service, she has conducted clinical trials in patients with locally advanced or recurrent breast cancer. Several ongoing studies will evaluate different types of vaccines.

Dr. Gilewski also created the Art of Medicine lecture series at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. This program focuses on the humanistic aspect of medicine. She directed, produced and wrote two films: "Reflections on Illness- an Interview with Dr. Alan Houghton" and "Living Through and Beyond Breast Cancer". She is currently developing a film on "The Physician as the Patient" to be shown at the American Society of Clinical Oncology meeting in 2007.