Radiation oncology department created at Weill Cornell

Dr. Silvia C. Formenti, an international expert in the use of radiation therapy for the treatment of cancer, has been appointed chair of the newly established Department of Radiation Oncology at Weill Cornell Medical College and radiation oncologist-in-chief at NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center, effective April 15.

Formenti, currently the chair of radiation oncology at New York University Langone Medical Center, also has been named associate director of radiation oncology at the Sandra and Edward Meyer Cancer Center at Weill Cornell Medical College.

A recognized leader in radiation oncology and breast cancer research, Formenti’s groundbreaking work has transformed the paradigm in radiation biology, demonstrating the efficacy of combining radiotherapy with immunotherapy to control cancer cell growth in solid tumors. By recruiting patients’ immune systems to reject their individual tumor, the approach results in personalized immunotherapy, specific for each individual patient.

Formenti has translated preclinical work into clinical trials in metastatic breast cancer, lung cancer and melanoma, and has opened a new field of application for radiotherapy, whereby localized radiation can be used as an adjuvant to immunotherapy of solid tumors and lymphomas.

“One of the biggest scientific breakthroughs of our generation is the revelation that not all cancers are the same – and as such, neither should their treatments be the same,” said Dr. Laurie H. Glimcher, the Stephen and Suzanne Weiss Dean of Weill Cornell Medical College. “Dr. Formenti is on the forefront of this personalized approach to cancer, devoting her career to investigating immune responses to radiotherapy and designing therapies that are tailored to each patient’s specific tumor. Her distinguished work in radiation oncology has left a lasting mark on cancer care, and I can think of no one better to lead Weill Cornell’s efforts to develop the most effective, next-generation cancer treatments that improve the lives of patients in New York and beyond.”

In her new roles at Weill Cornell Medical College and NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell, Formenti will expand and enhance the existing radiation oncology program, building upon its reputation of excellence in translational research to better investigate, target and treat individual patients’ unique cancers. Faculty in the department will investigate precision medicine approaches to radiation oncology, focusing on combining radiotherapy with immunotherapy and other modifiers of the tumor microenvironment to design advanced treatments and therapies that are tailored to each patient’s individual tumor.

“Combining radiotherapy with immunotherapy is exquisitely interdisciplinary work, leveraging the most modern integration of pathology, imaging, surgery, medical oncology and radiation oncology,” Formenti said. “The culture and collegiality at Weill Cornell Medical College and NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center provides the best setting to enable these cutting-edge research approaches.”

The new Department of Radiation Oncology will empower scientists to conduct high-impact basic, clinical and translational research to enhance the already outstanding patient experience at Weill Cornell Medical College and NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell. In particular, investigators will engage in radiobiological research, exploring the effects of ionizing radiation on tumor and normal tissue with findings translated into preclinical models that can lead to improved, personalized patient care. The department will also provide opportunities to train the next generation of radiation oncologists.

Formenti received her medical degree in Italy from the University of Milan, where she attained board certification in medical oncology, radiology and radiation oncology. A recipient of an Audrey Meyer Mars career development award from the American Cancer Society, she has published more than 170 scholarly papers in high-impact journals such as JAMA and the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

Anne Machalinski is an editor at Weill Cornell Medical College.

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