Thoracic and Head and Neck Medical Oncology

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Anita L. Sabichi, MD Research Interests: Chemoprevention, urologic neoplasms, biological tumor markers

Our chemoprevention program in bladder and prostate carcinogenesis relies on strong collaborative efforts between the departments of Clinical Cancer Prevention and Urology as well as on other intradepartmental, interdepartmental, and interinstitutional collaborations. Currently, we are conducting 2 multicenter NCI-funded clinical trials in bladder cancer chemoprevention. These studies will test the efficacy of celecoxib (a selective cyclooxygenase-2 [COX-2] inhibitor, for which I am the principal investigator [PI]) and fenretinide (N-[4-hydroxyphenyl]retinamide, a synthetic retinoid; grant PI, Dr. Scott Lippman [Department of Clinical Cancer Prevention]; protocol PI, Dr. H. Barton Grossman [Department of Urology]) in preventing the recurrence of superficial bladder cancer. In addition to the primary clinical end point of tumor recurrence, a number of biomarkers (e.g., apoptosis, COX-2 expression, and chromosomal abnormalities) will be evaluated. Using information gained from these studies, and through my role as project co-PI on the bladder Specialized Program of Research Excellence, we hope to further our understanding of the biology of bladder carcinogenesis and potentially validate 1 or more molecular markers as surrogate end point biomarkers.

Our prostate cancer chemoprevention studies are focused on assessing the role of selenium and vitamin E in prostate cancer prevention. The rationale for the use of these agents is based on intriguing subset analyses of large prospective trials suggesting that selenium and vitamin E may be effective chemopreventive agents for prostate cancer. In ongoing prospective trials, we are studying the biologic activity of selenomethionine and vitamin E (Dr. Jeri Kim, PI, Department of Genitourinary Medical Oncology) and the pharmacodynamics of selenomethionine (with myself as PI) in patients diagnosed with organ-confined prostate cancer. I am also working closely with Drs. Elise Cook (Department of Clinical Cancer Prevention), Lippman, and Richard Babaian (Department of Urology) in preparation for launching the Selenium and Vitamin E Cancer Prevention Trial, a Southwest Oncology Group/Intergroup chemoprevention study prospectively testing selenium and vitamin E as chemopreventive agents in 32,000 men at high risk for developing prostate cancer.

Selected Publications
Lippman SM, Lee JJ, Sabichi AL. Cancer chemoprevention: Progress and promise. J Natl Cancer Inst 90:1514-1528, 1998

Menter DG, Sabichi AL, Lippman SM. Selenium effects on prostate cell growth. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 9:1171-1182, 2000

Sabichi AL, Hendricks DT, Bober MA, Birrer MJ. Retinoic acid receptor beta expression and growth inhibition of gynecologic cancer cells by the synthetic retinoid N-(4-hydroxyphenyl) retinamide. J Natl Cancer Inst 90:597-605, 1998

Smith LM, Wise SC, Hendricks DT, Sabichi AL, Bos T, Reddy P, Brown PH, Birrer MJ. cJun overexpression in MCF-7 breast cancer cells produces a tumorigenic, invasive and hormone resistant phenotype. Oncogene 18:6063-6070, 1999

Sneige N, Lagios MD, Schwarting R, Colburn W, Atkinson E, Weber D, Sahin A, Kemp B, Hoque A, Risin S, Sabichi A, Boone C, Dhingra K, Kelloff G, Lippman S. Interobserver reproducibility of the Lagios nuclear grading system for ductal carcinoma in situ. Hum Pathol 30:257-262, 1999

Additional Information:

Department:	Thoracic and Head and Neck Medical Oncology
Department URL:
Division/Section:	Cancer Medicine
Last Updated:	05/10/2006