Penn Medicine News Spotlights Mitch Schnall

The Penn Medicine News Blog recently featured Mitchell D. Schnall, MD, PhD, in a profile highlighting a remarkable career path that led to his current role as the inaugural Senior Vice President for Data and Technology Solutions. Since taking on this role in May 2024, he has been focusing on efficiency efforts, system overhauls, artificial intelligence applications, and more. Read the profile, “The tinkerer-turned-tech leader,” on the Penn Medicine website.

Dr. Schnall is group co-chair of the ECOG-ACRIN Cancer Research Group (ECOG-ACRIN), leading its expanding portfolio of data science initiatives. At Penn, he previously served as chair of Radiology at the Perelman School of Medicine from 2012-2024.

Keith Flaherty Elected AACR President for 2025-2026

The members of the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) have elected Keith T. Flaherty, MD (Mass General Cancer Center), to be the AACR president for 2025-2026. Dr. Flaherty will become president-elect on Monday, April 28, during the AACR’s Annual Business Meeting of Members at the AACR Annual Meeting 2025. He will assume the presidency in April 2026. As president-elect, Dr. Flaherty will work with the officers, board of directors, and membership at large to further the AACR’s mission to prevent and cure all cancers through research, education, communication, collaboration, science policy and advocacy, and funding for cancer research.

Dr. Flaherty is an appointed member of the ECOG-ACRIN Executive Committee, serving as deputy chair, Biomarker Sciences. He is co-chair of the Biomarker Steering Committee. Dr. Flaherty is principal investigator of the landmark NCI-MATCH study (EAY131), one of the first and largest precision medicine initiatives in cancer.

InPACT Study Drives Global Radiotherapy Guidelines for Penile Cancer

Recruitment is ongoing for the InPACT trial (EA8134), assessing the effectiveness of inguinal lymph node dissection (ILND) surgery alone or after chemotherapy with or without intensity-modulated radiation therapy for patients with locally advanced penile cancer. It is a prominent study under the International Rare Cancers Initiative. In early April, researchers released consensus-driven guidelines, Standardization of Radiotherapy to Inguinal and Pelvic Lymph Nodes in Locally-Advanced Cancer of the Penis, as Defined by the International Penile Advanced Cancer Trial (InPACT). These guidelines not only support radiotherapy quality assurance at clinical sites participating in the trial, but they also offer a significant step towards international consensus.

In the United States, ECOG-ACRIN is leading the trial, with Curtis A. Pettaway, MD, serving as study chair, with funding from the National Cancer Institute. The trial sponsor is the Institute of Cancer Research, United Kingdom. Access the guidelines publication.

Susan G. Komen Blog Features TMIST

In a recent blog post about 3D mammography, Susan G. Komen highlighted the Tomosynthesis Mammographic Imaging Screening Trial (TMIST), led by Etta D. Pisano, MD (American College of Radiology). The post outlines the potential benefits of 3D mammograms but also emphasizes the need for a personalized approach to breast cancer screening. It notes the ways in which the TMIST study may help improve early detection for more women and address breast cancer disparities. Read the full post.

Reminder: Register for the Spring 2025 Group Meeting

There is still time to register for the ECOG-ACRIN Spring 2025 Group Meeting, taking place Tuesday, May 13-Thursday, May 15 in Tampa, Florida. Most open sessions will be hybrid (available both in-person and virtually). View the schedule on the Group Meeting website and register for three days of engaging sessions highlighting the latest in basic, clinical, and translational research.

Featured Sessions  

Group leaders encourage attendees to take part in the following sessions (all times below are Eastern Time):

Tuesday, May 13

• ComboMATCH and myeloMATCH Update and Education Session | 10:00-11:00 AM
• Social Determinants of Health Working Group | 1:00-2:00 PM
• Robert L. Comis, MD Translational Science Symposium | 3:00-5:00 PM
• Task Force on Career Advancement | 6:30-7:30 PM

Wednesday, May 14

• General Session | 5:30-7:30 PM
• Reception | 7:30-9:30 PM

Thursday, May 15

• Training Workshop for Clinical Research Professionals | 8:00 AM-12:00 PM
• TMIST Update and Education Session | 9:00-10:00 AM

Expanded Offerings for Clinical Research Professionals

ECOG-ACRIN is pleased to announce expanded offerings for non-investigator clinical research professionals at the Spring 2025 Group Meeting. A non-investigator is someone who participates in research studies but does not have direct overall responsibility for their conduct. These resources are designed for clinical research associates/coordinators, research nurses, and data managers. See below for details and be sure to register for the meeting to take advantage of these opportunities! Note that some offerings require an extra sign-up step.

• *New* Non-Investigator Clinical Research Professional Track
  ECOG-ACRIN offers a curated list of recommended sessions for non-investigator clinical research professionals. View the list here and be sure to select any sessions of interest during registration!
• Training Workshop for Clinical Research Professionals
  This session will take place on Thursday, May 15, from 8:00 AM-12:00 PM. The workshop is geared toward clinical research professionals new to the clinical trial process. Experienced personnel who would like to refresh their knowledge are also welcome. Planned topics include: an overview of available online resources; registration and roster maintenance; regulatory basics, including CIRB and site start-up; investigational agent management; patient case management, including OPEN, RECIST, CTEP-AERS, Rave, and TRIAD; and site auditing and monitoring.
• Adverse Event Reporting System (AERS) Workshops
  The ECOG-ACRIN Adverse Events Team is holding two 90-minute workshops for attendees new to using the CTEP-AERS system. Limited slots are available, as these are hands-on workshops that include entering mock adverse events into a test/practice environment. A workstation will be available for each attendee during the session. Reserve your spot.
• Training Lab
  A computer lab will be available Tuesday and Wednesday for site personnel to view and explore various educational and reference materials, including the Training Reference Library of videos hosted on YouTube. An extensive list of videos, courses, and tip sheets will be available, and volunteers from ECOG-ACRIN’s audit team and/or data management team will be present to answer questions. Reserve your time slot.

Questions about any of the opportunities above? Send an email to the ECOG-ACRIN training team.