Curtis Jamison Perry, MD, PhD
Instructor of Medicine (Medical Oncology & Hematology)About
Research
Publications
2025
Precancer exercise capacity and metabolism during tumor development coordinate the skeletal muscle–tumor metabolic competition
Leitner B, Fosam A, Lee W, Zilinger K, Nakandakari S, Zhang X, Gaspar R, Zhu W, Perry C, Rabinowitz J, Perry R. Precancer exercise capacity and metabolism during tumor development coordinate the skeletal muscle–tumor metabolic competition. Proceedings Of The National Academy Of Sciences Of The United States Of America 2025, 122: e2508707122. PMID: 41325517, PMCID: PMC12704748, DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2508707122.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsExercise trainingExercise capacityAerobic exercise trainingRegular exercise trainingHigher exercise capacityMuscle glucose metabolismVoluntary wheel runningTumor progressionGlucose metabolismVoluntary exerciseCardiac muscleExerciseTumor glucose metabolismTumor-host interactionsMetabolic competitionStage of diseaseMuscleCancer prognosisSystemic glucose metabolismTumor energeticsTumor microenvironmentMelanoma tumorsTumor growthTumor developmentTrainingInteractions among tumor subtype, PPARγ expression, and adipose proliferation shape outcomes in breast cancer
Shah A, Liu K, Liu R, Ramshankar G, Perry C, Perry R. Interactions among tumor subtype, PPARγ expression, and adipose proliferation shape outcomes in breast cancer. Physiological Reports 2025, 13: e70649. PMID: 41236441, PMCID: PMC12617248, DOI: 10.14814/phy2.70649.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsStandardized uptake valueBreast cancer patientsTumor subtypesMenopausal statusPrognostic relevanceBreast cancerCancer patientsPrimary breast cancer patientsPPARG expressionPET-CT scanKaplan-Meier analysisTumor receptor subtypeAdipose tissueNon-TNBC tumorsAdipose tissue proliferationTCGA-BRCA cohortBreast cancer progressionPostmenopausal patientsPremenopausal patientsPrecision medicine treatmentsOverall survivalPET-CTSubcutaneous adipose tissueUptake valueReceptor subtypesMolecular Characterization of Polyomavirus-Positive and Negative Merkel Cell Carcinoma
Vaidya P, Wu S, Bryant D, Perry C, Prakash V, Lou E, Guo T, Brownell I, Darabi S, Gao L, Abdulla F, Park S. Molecular Characterization of Polyomavirus-Positive and Negative Merkel Cell Carcinoma. Cancers 2025, 17: 3508. PMID: 41228301, PMCID: PMC12609552, DOI: 10.3390/cancers17213508.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchImmune checkpoint inhibitorsMerkel cell carcinomaTumor mutational burdenWhole-exome sequencingMerkel cell carcinoma casesVN-MCCViral statusNOTCH1TP53Genomic alterationsAssociated with ICI responseMedian tumor mutation burdenAdvanced Merkel cell carcinomaNK cell infiltrationMCC oncogenesisTherapeutic targetCheckpoint inhibitorsPathway activity scoresICI responseImmune microenvironmentCell carcinomaMutational burdenTumor microenvironmentFrontline treatmentTreatment responseTargeting an essential viral oncoprotein with an IL-7-enhanced mRNA vaccine induces durable immunity to Merkel cell carcinoma
Frey A, Clulo K, Fei Y, Dumit T, Scallo F, Allen J, Chang E, Perry C, Wirth L, Jacobs D, Braun D, Bosenberg M, Tran T, Clune J, Kluger H, Olino K, Ishizuka J. Targeting an essential viral oncoprotein with an IL-7-enhanced mRNA vaccine induces durable immunity to Merkel cell carcinoma. Cell Reports 2025, 44: 116359. PMID: 41042672, PMCID: PMC12646823, DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2025.116359.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchThis study investigates an IL-7-enhanced mRNA vaccine targeting virus-associated Merkel cell carcinoma, showing durable immune responses in mouse models and patient samples, addressing cancer recurrence challenges.
2023
Clinical Predictors of Survival in Patients With BRAFV600-Mutated Metastatic Melanoma Treated With Combined BRAF and MEK Inhibitors After Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors
Kahn A, Perry C, Etts K, Kluger H, Sznol M. Clinical Predictors of Survival in Patients With BRAFV600-Mutated Metastatic Melanoma Treated With Combined BRAF and MEK Inhibitors After Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors. The Oncologist 2023, 29: e507-e513. PMID: 37971411, PMCID: PMC10994263, DOI: 10.1093/oncolo/oyad300.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchBRAF/MEK inhibitorsBRAF/MEK inhibitionImmune checkpoint inhibitorsBRAFV600E/K mutationsMEK inhibitorsCheckpoint inhibitorsClinical variablesMEK inhibitionRetrospective single-institution analysisIpilimumab/nivolumabFirst-line settingFirst-line therapyFirst-line treatmentMetastatic melanoma patientsLong-term outcomesPretreatment clinical variablesSingle-institution analysisStratification of patientsK mutationCombined BRAFECOG PSMedian OSRECIST 1.1Immunotherapy regimenClinical characteristicsCausal identification of single-cell experimental perturbation effects with CINEMA-OT
Dong M, Wang B, Wei J, de O. Fonseca A, Perry C, Frey A, Ouerghi F, Foxman E, Ishizuka J, Dhodapkar R, van Dijk D. Causal identification of single-cell experimental perturbation effects with CINEMA-OT. Nature Methods 2023, 20: 1769-1779. PMID: 37919419, PMCID: PMC10630139, DOI: 10.1038/s41592-023-02040-5.Peer-Reviewed Original Research
2021
A Phase I Study of APX005M and Cabiralizumab with or without Nivolumab in Patients with Melanoma, Kidney Cancer, or Non–Small Cell Lung Cancer Resistant to Anti-PD-1/PD-L1
Weiss SA, Djureinovic D, Jessel S, Krykbaeva I, Zhang L, Jilaveanu L, Ralabate A, Johnson B, Levit NS, Anderson G, Zelterman D, Wei W, Mahajan A, Trifan O, Bosenberg M, Kaech SM, Perry CJ, Damsky W, Gettinger S, Sznol M, Hurwitz M, Kluger HM. A Phase I Study of APX005M and Cabiralizumab with or without Nivolumab in Patients with Melanoma, Kidney Cancer, or Non–Small Cell Lung Cancer Resistant to Anti-PD-1/PD-L1. Clinical Cancer Research 2021, 27: 4757-4767. PMID: 34140403, PMCID: PMC9236708, DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-21-0903.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsAnti-PD-1/PD-L1Non-small cell lung cancerCell lung cancerRenal cell carcinomaPD-L1Lung cancerDisease progressionCommon treatment-related adverse eventsPD-1/PD-L1 inhibitorsTreatment-related adverse eventsPhase 2 doseSubstantial clinical challengeUnconfirmed partial responseDose-limiting toxicityPD-L1 inhibitorsPhase I trialDose-escalation designPro-inflammatory cytokinesMultiple tumor typesAsymptomatic elevationStable diseaseIntolerable toxicityAdverse eventsMedian durationPartial response
2019
Tumor regression mediated by oncogene withdrawal or erlotinib stimulates infiltration of inflammatory immune cells in EGFR mutant lung tumors
Ayeni D, Miller B, Kuhlmann A, Ho PC, Robles-Oteiza C, Gaefele M, Levy S, de Miguel FJ, Perry C, Guan T, Krystal G, Lockwood W, Zelterman D, Homer R, Liu Z, Kaech S, Politi K. Tumor regression mediated by oncogene withdrawal or erlotinib stimulates infiltration of inflammatory immune cells in EGFR mutant lung tumors. Journal For ImmunoTherapy Of Cancer 2019, 7: 172. PMID: 31291990, PMCID: PMC6617639, DOI: 10.1186/s40425-019-0643-8.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsTyrosine kinase inhibitorsEGFR-mutant lung cancerMutant lung cancerTumor regressionErlotinib treatmentLung cancerImmune cellsLung tumorsMouse modelEffects of TKIsGrowth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitorsTumor-infiltrating immune cellsDrug resistanceReceptor tyrosine kinase inhibitorsInflammatory immune cellsInflammatory T cellsEffect of erlotinibEGFR mutant lung tumorsInflammatory cellsImmunological profileT cellsCD40 agonistsImmunostimulatory effectsAlveolar macrophagesErlotinibB cell depletion or absence does not impede anti-tumor activity of PD-1 inhibitors
Damsky W, Jilaveanu L, Turner N, Perry C, Zito C, Tomayko M, Leventhal J, Herold K, Meffre E, Bosenberg M, Kluger HM. B cell depletion or absence does not impede anti-tumor activity of PD-1 inhibitors. Journal For ImmunoTherapy Of Cancer 2019, 7: 153. PMID: 31200747, PMCID: PMC6567557, DOI: 10.1186/s40425-019-0613-1.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsPD-1 inhibitorsB cell contentB-cell depletionAnti-tumor activityB cellsMuMT miceCell depletionAnti-PD-1 inhibitorsAnti-PD-1 responseB-cell depleting drugsTumor-infiltrating B cellsImpaired B-cell functionT cell-dependent tumor rejectionPD-1 inhibitionMC38 colon cancerB cell functionAnti-tumor effectsB-cell malignanciesMurine cancer modelsCell contentOverall survivalTumor rejectionCD20 antibodyAutoimmune disordersTumor shrinkage
2018
Uncoupling Hepatic Oxidative Phosphorylation Reduces Tumor Growth in Two Murine Models of Colon Cancer
Wang Y, Nasiri AR, Damsky WE, Perry CJ, Zhang XM, Rabin-Court A, Pollak MN, Shulman GI, Perry RJ. Uncoupling Hepatic Oxidative Phosphorylation Reduces Tumor Growth in Two Murine Models of Colon Cancer. Cell Reports 2018, 24: 47-55. PMID: 29972790, PMCID: PMC6056247, DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2018.06.008.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsControlled-release mitochondrial protonophoreTumor growthGlucose uptakeDiet-induced obesityMurine colon cancer modelColon cancer modelHepatic energy metabolismColon cancer pathogenesisHormonal milieuPlasma insulinFed miceInsulin infusionMurine modelColon cancerCancer modelCancer pathogenesisOxidative phosphorylationNeoplastic growthMitochondrial protonophoreHepatic oxidative phosphorylationObesityUnderlying mechanismEnergy metabolismCancerInsulin
Academic Achievements & Community Involvement
Clinical Care
Overview
Curtis Jamison Perry, MD, PhD, is a medical oncologist who specializes in treating genitourinary cancers. He focuses on diagnosing and managing cancers of the bladder, prostate, and testicles.
Dr. Perry’s research explores the immune system’s role in cancer. His work includes using advanced single-cell techniques and AI tools to study immune responses in cancer patients. His goal is to improve treatment options for all patients by deepening our understanding of cancer immunology and enhancing cancer care for patients whose tumors develop resistance to immunotherapies. He is dedicated to partnering with patients throughout their cancer care.
Dr. Perry earned his medical and doctoral degrees from Yale School of Medicine, as well as his residency in internal medicine and a fellowship in hematology/oncology. He is an instructor of medicine at Yale School of Medicine.
Clinical Specialties
Genitourinary Oncology; Medical Oncology; Urologic Oncology
News & Links
News
- March 23, 2026
Yale Launches Innovative Clinical Trial for Metastatic Bladder Cancer
- January 12, 2026
How Exercise Slows Tumor Growth
- October 28, 2025
Yale Develops Dual-Action Vaccine to Combat Aggressive Merkel Cell Carcinoma
- June 06, 2025
Yale Cancer Center Researchers and Trainees Present at 2025 ASCO Annual Meeting
Get In Touch
Contacts
Appointment Number
Locations
CMCO
Lab
300 George Street, Fl 6
New Haven, CT 06511
Patient Care Locations
Are You a Patient? View this doctor's clinical profile on the Yale Medicine website for information about the services we offer and making an appointment.