Posts by Daniel P. Cahill, MD, PhD
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Rare IDH2-mutant Glioma Shares Common Molecular Targets With IDH1-mutant Glioma
Massachusetts General Hospital researchers provide evidence that gene alterations that activate the retinoblastoma and PDGFR pathways have a pivotal biological role in the progression of IDH2-mutant astrocytoma, which is equivalent to progressive IDH1-mutated glioma, and they identified potential drug targets.
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Novel Radiofrequency Coils Facilitate MRI/MRS of Animal Model, Don't Require Implantation
Atsushi M. Takahashi, PhD, Daniel P. Cahill, MD, PhD, Yi-Fen Yen, PhD, and colleagues have demonstrated that a series of inductively coupled radiofrequency coils they designed are versatile and practical for proton MRI and X-nucleus MRI/MR spectroscopy in small animals.
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Palbociclib Demonstrates Activity Against Progressive Brain Metastases Harboring CDK Pathway Alterations
A proof-of-concept study at the Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center showed genetic testing can guide treatment for patients with brain metastases from solid tumors, as 53% of patients with progressive brain metastases and CDK alterations showed benefit from palbociclib, a CDK inhibitor.
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Combination Checkpoint Inhibitor Therapy Safe, Extends Survival for Leptomeningeal Disease
In a phase 2 trial, researchers at the Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center observed that the combination of two immune checkpoint inhibitors, ipilimumab and nivolumab, was safe and associated with three-month overall survival of 44% in a heavily pretreated population of patients with leptomeningeal disease.
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Local NAMPT Inhibition Enhances Checkpoint Immunotherapy for Glioblastoma
In a mouse model of glioblastoma, sequential therapy with a nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase inhibitor, delivered locally via polymer microparticles, and an immune checkpoint inhibitor improved survival over either agent used as monotherapy.
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Categories of Genomic Profiles of Aggressive Meningiomas to Facilitate Drug Development
Massachusetts General Hospital researchers conducted the largest-yet genomic profiling study of high-grade/progressive meningiomas and detected three distinct patterns that have clinical implications.
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Novel Combination Therapy Highly Effective Against IDH-mutant Glioma
Adding a poly(ADP-ribose) glycohydrolase inhibitor to temozolomide was highly effective in glioma cell lines and an IDH-mutant xenograft mouse model.
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Tumor Suppressor Gene PBRM1 Frequently Inactivated in Papillary Meningioma
The discovery of a frequent PBRM1 mutation in papillary meningioma suggests a potential new approach to developing therapies for this malignant, aggressive tumor.
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Researchers Are Studying the Origin of Glioma
Neuro-oncologists at Massachusetts General Hospital are working toward a better understanding of gliomagenesis as a basis for the development of therapies, as well as identification of biomarkers to stratify patients for personalized treatment.
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Adding an NAMPT Inhibitor to Temozolomide Might Boost Its Effect in IDH-Mutant Glioma
IDH1/2-mutant glioma is often treated with temozolomide, but most of these cancers recur. Research at Massachusetts General Hospital suggests that combining the drug with an NAMPT inhibitor may improve its anticancer effect.
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Novel Model of Recurrent Glioblastoma May Facilitate Development of Targeted Therapies
Neurosurgeons and neuro-oncologists at Massachusetts General Hospital have published the first report that documents loss of receptor tyrosine kinase gene amplification in glioblastoma after targeted therapy—and describes a novel preclinical model for studying these molecular changes.
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Mass General at #AANS2019
The 2019 AANS Annual Scientific Meeting is a global exchange for neurosurgical scientists and clinicians. Specialists from Mass General Neurosurgery will present and debate leading research and innovative treatment approaches in neurosurgical care.
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New Research and Treatment Options for IDH1 Mutant Tumors
In this video, Bob Carter, MD, PhD, describes the work of Daniel Cahill, MD, PhD, who is leading research on IDH1 mutant brain tumors.
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New Subtype of Glioblastoma Identified
Massachusetts General Hospital neurooncologists have identified a subgroup of IDH wild-type glioblastomas that have a distinct clinical and molecular profile. The findings may have significant implications for targeted therapy in these patients.
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New Targeted Glioma Therapy Could Suppress Tumor Growth
Mass General has developed a genotype-targeted therapy for glioma, designed to be given at the tumor site during surgery, and an accompanying rapid diagnostic.
Biography
As a neurosurgeon-scientist, Dr. Cahill's clinical practice is focused on the care of brain tumor patients, improving clinical trials of therapy for these patients, and training neurosurgical residents in the diagnosis and treatment of these cancers.
Dr. Cahill was born and raised in Connecticut, attending Yale College and then moving to Baltimore to Johns Hopkins Medical School, receiving his MD/PhD degrees in 2001. His PhD was in Human Genetics, in the laboratory of Drs. Ken Kinzler and Bert Vogelstein. He then completed neurosurgery residency training at Mass General, and was a postdoctoral fellow in the laboratory of Dr. David Louis of Pathology. After completion of his clinical training, he joined the junior faculty in Neurosurgery at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. He later re-joined the faculty of the Mass General Brain Tumor Center in 2011, where he is currently in active practice. He sees patients in the Yawkey Center for Outpatient Care, and his research laboratory is located in the Simches Research Building Brain Tumor Research Center.
Neuroscience Care at Mass General
Through a combination of unmatched expertise, creativity and compassion, Mass General Neuroscience relentlessly advances the fields of Neurosurgery, Neurology and Psychiatry to unleash our patients’ potential.