Marc Machaalani
Hospital ResidentCards
About
Research
Publications
2026
Genomic and clinical correlates of belzutifan treatment in renal cell carcinoma (RCC): A retrospective analysis of 150 RCC patients.
Dudipala H, Chen Y, Nazari S, Elliott A, Kulkarni N, Nawfal R, Ascione L, Machaalani M, McDermott D, Signoretti S, Barata P, Rose B, Bagrodia A, Agarwal N, Pal S, Choueiri T, McKay R. Genomic and clinical correlates of belzutifan treatment in renal cell carcinoma (RCC): A retrospective analysis of 150 RCC patients. Journal Of Clinical Oncology 2026, 44: 4541-4541. DOI: 10.1200/jco.2026.44.16_suppl.4541.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchRenal cell carcinomaDNA damage response genesNon-respondersDamage response genesPredictive biomarkersPredictive biomarkers of responseHypoxia-inducible factor 2ARenal cell carcinoma tumorsResponse genesRenal cell carcinoma patientsClear cell renal cell carcinomaCaris Life SciencesHIF-2aPrimary kidney tumorsBiomarkers of responseCell renal cell carcinomaStatistical significanceShort follow-upRenal cell carcinoma samplesMetastatic sitesPIK3CA mutationsCell carcinomaRenal cell carcinoma pathogenesisMedian timeBaseline characteristicsComprehensive characterization of HIF-2α and carbonic anhydrase IX expression and the genomic landscape in clear cell and VHL-altered renal cell carcinoma.
Chen Y, Nazari S, Elliott A, Kulkarni N, Nawfal R, Ascione L, Machaalani M, McDermott D, Signoretti S, Barata P, Rose B, Bagrodia A, Agarwal N, Pal S, Choueiri T, McKay R. Comprehensive characterization of HIF-2α and carbonic anhydrase IX expression and the genomic landscape in clear cell and VHL-altered renal cell carcinoma. Journal Of Clinical Oncology 2026, 44: 4543-4543. DOI: 10.1200/jco.2026.44.16_suppl.4543.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchClear cell renal cell carcinomaHIF-2a expressionOverall survivalRenal cell carcinomaCA9 expressionHIF-2aCell carcinomaVHL alterationsRCC tumorsGenomic alterationsCarbonic anhydrase IX expressionGene signatureImmune-related gene signatureCaris Life SciencesT-effector gene signatureCell renal cell carcinomaPrimary kidney tumorsGene mutation frequencyMutation frequencyCarbonic anhydrase IXTP53 mutationsBone metastasesLiver metastasesPBRM1 mutationsIX expressionLIF expression as a predictive biomarker in metastatic renal cell carcinoma.
Saleh M, Saad E, Machaalani M, Meli K, Masri J, Malik R, Kane H, Saliby R, Labaki C, Baroud T, Barrios P, Ascione L, Khatoun W, Yekeduz E, Signoretti S, Gusev A, Van Allen E, Braun D, Choueiri T. LIF expression as a predictive biomarker in metastatic renal cell carcinoma. Journal Of Clinical Oncology 2026, 44: 4548-4548. DOI: 10.1200/jco.2026.44.16_suppl.4548.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMetastatic clear cell renal cell carcinomaClear cell renal cell carcinomaRenal cell carcinomaLeukemia inhibitory factor expressionLeukemia inhibitory factorProgression-free survivalCell renal cell carcinomaTKI monotherapySarcomatoid featuresCell carcinomaPredictive biomarkersMetastatic renal cell carcinomaTreatment selectionLIF expressionICI-based regimensICI-based therapyAssociated with poor prognosisT cell infiltrationRegulatory T cellsAssociated with younger ageBiologically distinct subsetsInferior PFSImmunosuppressive microenvironmentAdvanced RCCOverall survivalA multi-axis biomarker model integrating KIM-1 and MAdCAM-1 in metastatic renal cell carcinoma.
Machaalani M, Saliby R, Silva C, Saad E, Steiner C, Zhong C, Yekeduz E, Liu X, Ascione L, Barrios P, Cai T, Lee G, Xie W, Signoretti S, Sun M, Zitvogel L, Albiges L, McDermott D, Xu W, Choueiri T. A multi-axis biomarker model integrating KIM-1 and MAdCAM-1 in metastatic renal cell carcinoma. Journal Of Clinical Oncology 2026, 44: 4554-4554. DOI: 10.1200/jco.2026.44.16_suppl.4554.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMetastatic renal cell carcinomaKidney injury molecule-1Progression-free survivalOverall survivalRenal cell carcinomaMAdCAM-1Treatment armsIMDC riskCell carcinomaRisk stratificationMolecule-1Plasma kidney injury molecule-1Kidney injury molecule-1 levelsAssociated with worse survivalAssociated with clinical outcomesMucosal vascular addressin cell adhesion molecule-1Associated with OSIncremental prognostic valueCell adhesion molecule-1Multivariate Cox modelAdhesion molecule-1Lowest-risk quartileHighest-risk quartileComposite risk scoreIMDC criteriaAssociation of GFPT2 expression with clinical outcomes in clear cell renal cell carcinoma.
Nafeh G, Khatoun W, Masri J, Nawfal R, Machaalani M, Sarout S, Ibrahim E, Baroud T, Ascione L, Barrios P, Eid M, Chehade R, Saleh M, Bian W, Xu W, Braun D, Choueiri T. Association of GFPT2 expression with clinical outcomes in clear cell renal cell carcinoma. Journal Of Clinical Oncology 2026, 44: e16543-e16543. DOI: 10.1200/jco.2026.44.16_suppl.e16543.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchClear cell renal cell carcinomaProgression-free survivalEpithelial mesenchymal transitionIndependent prognostic significanceCell renal cell carcinomaOverall survivalRenal cell carcinomaClinical outcomesStromal markersPrognostic significanceCell carcinomaAssociated with significantly worse OSMicroenvironment remodelingHigh-risk clear cell renal cell carcinomaMultivariable Cox proportional hazards regressionAdverse prognostic impactAdverse survival outcomesKaplan-Meier methodCox proportional hazards regressionAdverse clinical outcomesMultivariate Cox modelTumor microenvironment remodelingProgression of clear cell renal cell carcinomaProportional hazards regressionInferior OSThe clinical landscape of HIF2α inhibitors in oncology
Saad E, Machaalani M, McDermott D, Choueiri T. The clinical landscape of HIF2α inhibitors in oncology. Nature Reviews Clinical Oncology 2026, 1-19. PMID: 42050152, DOI: 10.1038/s41571-026-01145-y.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchClear-cell renal cell carcinomaVon Hippel-LindauIdentification of predictive biomarkersHypoxia-inducible factor 2AClinical landscapeSporadic clear-cell renal cell carcinomasRenal cell carcinomaRNA interference approachOptimal management approachPAS-B domainOn-target toxicityTranscription factorsCell carcinomaPredictive biomarkersSmall molecule antagonistsSmall molecule inhibitorsAcquired ResistanceStructural basisPAS-BInterference approachKidney cancerSignaling pathwayAllosteric pocketFactor 2APathway suppressionReal-world analysis of renal cell carcinoma with sarcomatoid differentiation treated with first-line immunotherapy combinations: Results from the International Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma Database Consortium (IMDC).
Thundathil N, Baumgarten P, Zarba M, Wells J, Chehade R, Machaalani M, Lalwani S, Lee J, Duran I, Templeton A, de Velasco G, Suárez C, Li H, Pranavan G, Weickhardt A, McKay R, Graham J, Choueiri T, Maj D, Heng D. Real-world analysis of renal cell carcinoma with sarcomatoid differentiation treated with first-line immunotherapy combinations: Results from the International Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma Database Consortium (IMDC). Journal Of Clinical Oncology 2026, 44: 448-448. DOI: 10.1200/jco.2026.44.7_suppl.448.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchTime to next treatmentInternational Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma Database ConsortiumSarcomatoid renal cell carcinomaOverall survivalRenal cell carcinomaBone metastasesCell carcinomaReal-world analysisPoor outcomeMedian time to next treatmentNext treatmentKarnofsky performance status <Treatment durationPresence of bone metastasesResponse rateDual checkpoint blockadeFavorable-risk patientsProgressive disease rateTreated first-lineComplete response rateMedian overall survivalObjective response rateMedian treatment durationPerformance status <First-line therapyGenomic and clinical correlates of belzutifan treatment in renal cell carcinoma (RCC): A retrospective analysis of 240 RCC patients.
Chen Y, Nazari S, Elliott A, Kulkarni N, Smith N, Nawfal R, Ascione L, Machaalani M, Barata P, Rose B, Bagrodia A, Agarwal N, Pal S, Choueiri T, McKay R. Genomic and clinical correlates of belzutifan treatment in renal cell carcinoma (RCC): A retrospective analysis of 240 RCC patients. Journal Of Clinical Oncology 2026, 44: 528-528. DOI: 10.1200/jco.2026.44.7_suppl.528.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchTime-on-treatmentRenal cell carcinomaRenal cell carcinoma patientsNon-respondersCell histologyVHL mutationsNon-clear cell histologyPatient samplesCaris Life SciencesDNA damage response alterationRenal cell carcinoma samplesDNA damage response genesTranscriptome analysisMetastatic biopsiesCell carcinomaMedian ageDamage response genesPredictive biomarkersProspective validationTumor progressionRetrospective analysisClinical correlatesGenomic profilingClinical trialsTrial inclusionGermline platelet polygenic risk score to predict renal cell carcinoma survival via sustained thrombocytosis.
Saleh M, Saad E, Barrios P, Khatoun W, Masri J, Machaalani M, Ascione L, Steiner C, Nawfal R, Chehade R, Eid M, Ibrahim E, Nafeh G, Carver S, Lu Z, Yekeduz E, Bian W, Baca S, Gusev A, Choueiri T. Germline platelet polygenic risk score to predict renal cell carcinoma survival via sustained thrombocytosis. Journal Of Clinical Oncology 2026, 44: 543-543. DOI: 10.1200/jco.2026.44.7_suppl.543.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchPolygenic risk scoresRisk scoreAssociations of polygenic risk scoresPolygenic risk score effectsCox proportional hazards regressionProportional hazards regressionRenal cell carcinomaFalse discovery rateGermline determinantsHazards regressionIncidence riskPGS effectsTechnical covariatesGermline variantsP-valueHematological measuresPlatelet countScoresGermline controlImmune checkpoint inhibitor therapyAssociated with worse survivalPan-cancer analysisRenal cell carcinoma patientsCancer typesCheckpoint inhibitor therapyReal-world endpoints as surrogates for overall survival in metastatic bladder cancer.
Machaalani M, Saad E, Labaki C, Bakouny Z, Schroeder C, Liu Y, Bouquet F, Joyce M, McGregor B, Bellmunt J, Xie W, Choueiri T. Real-world endpoints as surrogates for overall survival in metastatic bladder cancer. Journal Of Clinical Oncology 2026, 44: 693-693. DOI: 10.1200/jco.2026.44.7_suppl.693.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMetastatic bladder cancerTreatment-free survivalOverall survivalBladder cancerFollow-upSingle-agent immune checkpoint inhibitorsSub-cohortFlatiron Health databaseICI-treated patientsImmune checkpoint inhibitorsProgression-free survivalFirst-line chemotherapyFirst-line therapyEvent-free rateMean survival timeEvaluation of treatment outcomesCheckpoint inhibitorsMedian OSOS surrogateNext therapyOS ratesImmunotherapy benefitRwPFSSolid tumorsCohort size