Our Science – Giaccone Website

Giuseppe Giaccone, M.D., Ph.D.

Medical Oncology Branch and Affiliates Branch Chief National Cancer Institute Building 10 - Magnuson CC, Room 12N226 10 Center Drive Bethesda, MD 20892 Phone:   301-496-4916 Fax:   301-402-0172 E-Mail:   giacconeg@mail.nih.gov

Biography

Giuseppe Giaccone, M.D., Ph.D. is an internationally recognized expert in the field of lung cancer and developmental therapeutics. Dr. Giaccone received his M.D. cum laude from the University of Torino Medical School in 1980, followed by training in clinical oncology and internal medicine, which he completed at the University of Torino in 1988. He spent the next two years in the NCI's Medical Oncology Branch under the direction of Dr. John Minna. Following his training at the NCI, Dr. Giaccone received his Ph.D. from the Free University Medical Center in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. He then served as a senior medical oncologist at the Medical Center from 1990 to 2000, when he was appointed Professor of Medical Oncology. Dr. Giaccone became Head of the Center's Department of Medical Oncology in 2003.

Dr. Giaccone has published more than 400 peer-reviewed papers and contributed to more than 30 book chapters. He has also played a major role in the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC), serving as a member of the EORTC's Lung Cancer Cooperative Group since 1982 and as its Chair from 1993 to 2000. During his leadership of this Group, Dr. Giaccone led several major clinical studies focusing on lung cancer and mesothelioma. Dr. Giaccone joined the Center for Cancer Research in 2007 as Chief of the Medical Oncology Branch.
Research

Research

Lung cancer is the second-leading cause of cancer-related death in American men and women. It is classified as either non-small cell, which accounts for 87 percent of all lung cancer diagnoses, or small cell, accounting for the remaining 13 percent. Risk factors for the disease include cigarette smoking; second-hand smoke; air pollution; tuberculosis; treatment with radiation therapy; and exposure to radon, asbestos, chromium, cadmium, arsenic, soot, tar, and some chemicals.

Our laboratory is investigating the mechanisms of resistance to epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) inhibitors in non-small cell lung cancer and the modulation of apoptosis using molecules that prevent apoptosis (i.e., the Bcl-2 family and inhibitor of apoptosis proteins). We are testing novel molecules that have the potential for reversing or circumventing resistance to EGFR inhibitors and elucidating their mechanism(s) of action. The heat shock protein (HSP)-90 inhibitors appear to be particularly promising. Based on our earlier work with resected non-small cell lung cancer samples, in which we identified HSP-90 as both an important prognostic marker and also an important target for in vitro therapy, we are now testing novel HSP-90 inhibitors in an in vitro screening system that was developed by our laboratory.

Our clinical studies also focus on malignancies of the chest, including lung cancer (non-small cell and small cell), mesothelioma, thymoma, and esophageal cancers. Emphasis is on early phase development of novel agents, in particular those that can be effective in patients who are refractory to EGFR inhibitors and modulators of apoptosis. Currently, we are conducting Phase II studies of: 1) belinostat, an HDAC inhibitor, in patients with advanced thymic malignancies, and 2) a second-generation EGFR irreversible inhibitor in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer who failed Erlotinib (Tarceva), and several other trials. A tumor board has been organized and includes major organ specialists. The next phase will include activation of multidisciplinary studies in the area of neoadjuvant treatment of borderline operable non-small cell lung cancer and esophageal cancer.

In addition to our clinical and translational research, we are also reorganizing the NIH Trans-Institute Lung Cancer Group, with the goal of fostering new interdisciplinary collaborations and initiating novel research projects, including one that will focuses on the development of lung cancer stem cells. This project involved the participation of a Consortium of five senior investigators at the National Cancer Institute.

This page was last updated on 8/21/2008.