Dana Farber Cancer Institute

Dana Farber Cancer Institute
Center for Neuro-Oncology
44 Binney St., Shields Warren G430D
Boston, MA  02115
USA

Patrick Y. Wen, M.D.

Research Categories:
My research is directed towards the development of new therapies for brain tumors and leptomeningeal metastases using especially tageted molecular agents and inhibitors of angiogenesis. I am also interested in the neurologic complications in cancer patients.

Research Interest/Projects:

The primary goal of our multidisciplinary group of investigators is to find more effective treatments for patients with brain tumors. Our program is especially interested in the development of novel targeted molecular therapies. We currently have a large number of clinical trials of these agents in progress. Recently we also started trials of combinations of targeted molecular agents, which are likely to be more effective than treatment with single agents alone. As part of these trials, we are also genotyping the tumors and correlating them with response to treatment in the hope of identifying subgroups of patients who are particularly likely to benefit. In addition, we are conducting clinical trials evaluating novel inhibitors of angiogenesis, chemotherapy combinations, intratumoral agents delivered by convection, and tumor vaccines.

A second focus of our program is the development of novel therapies for meningiomas, brain metastases, and leptomeningeal metastases; clinical studies evaluating targeted molecular agents and novel chemotherapeutic agents against these cancers are under way. We also collaborate with colleagues in Pediatric Neuro-Oncology and the Department of Cancer Biology in a preclinical program directed at identifying novel targets for therapy and evaluating new agents for clinical trials.