video: Alessio Cortellini, M.D., is the recipient of the 2020 Young Investigator Award (YIA) presented by The Oncologist. Launched in 2018, the award was established to honor a promising young physician scientist who is the principal author of a significant research paper published in The Oncologist. The YIA also aims to support the efforts of emerging physicians and encourage the development of young investigators who are making a significant impact in the field of cancer care. view more
Credit: AlphaMed Press
Durham, NC - Alessio Cortellini, M.D., was awarded The Oncologist's 3rd Annual Young Investigator Award for his research on evaluating the risk of immunotherapy treatment to patients with pre-existing autoimmune disease. The Oncologist journal established this award to foster advancements in the field of oncology by honoring a young researcher who is principal author of a high-impact article with the greatest potential to improve patient outcomes.
In his winning paper, Dr. Cortellini and his team provided a clear estimation of the increased risk of developing immune-related adverse events overall, and of relapsing of the underlying immune disease for patients with both inactive and active autoimmune diseases receiving immune checkpoint inhibitors. These findings should allow clinicians to properly counsel their patients and deliver immunotherapy in a safer way.
"This fine article addresses a very important question for clinicians confronted with a patient needing checkpoint therapy, but worried about underlying autoimmune disease," said Bruce Chabner, MD, Editor-in-Chief of The Oncologist and Clinical Director Emeritus of the Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center. "This is very helpful information, and alerts us to the real risk entailed in this therapeutic situation."
Dr. Cortellini is currently a consultant medical oncologist and visiting researcher at Imperial College London. He is working within the early phase clinical trial unit, led by Dr. David Pinato. His aim is to build an expertise in immunotherapeutic agents, with different mechanisms of action and in the early phase of clinical development.
Learn more about Dr. Cortellini or read the winning paper Clinical Outcomes of Patients with Advanced Cancer and Pre Existing Autoimmune Diseases Treated with Anti?Programmed Death 1 Immunotherapy: A Real World Transverse Study.
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