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Barbara Burtness, MD

Professor of Medicine (Medical Oncology); Interim Associate Cancer Center Director, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion; Disease Aligned Research Team Leader, Head and Neck Cancers Program; Co-Leader, Developmental Therapeutics, Yale Cancer Center

Contact Information

Barbara Burtness, MD

Mailing Address

  • Medical Oncology

    25 York Street, PO Box 208028

    New Haven, CT 06520-8028

    United States

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Yale Medicine

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Research Summary

Studies of targeted treatments for EGFR expressed head and neck cancers, including biomarkers of resistance and novel strategies such as dual EGFR blockade, to overcome resistance. She leads the ECOG-ACRIN Head and Neck Therapeutics Committee, which conducts large multicenter trials in head and neck cancer, including studies of treatment deintensification in HPV-associated cancer, and molecularly guided post-operative therapy. She chairs multicenter trials of targeted therapy and immunotherapy in head and neck cancer.

Specialized Terms: EGFR expressed head and neck cancers.

Extensive Research Description

Studies of targeted treatments for EGFR expressed head and neck cancers, including biomarkers of resistance and novel strategies such as dual EGFR blockade, to overcome resistance. She has demonstrated that loss of PTEN indicates resistance to EGFR inhibition in head and neck cancer, and studied novel dual EGFR/HDAC inhibitors and combined antibody and tyrosine kinase inhibition as strategies to improve responsiveness to EGFR inhibition. She leads the ECOG-ACRIN Head and Neck Therapeutics Committee, which conducts large multicenter trials in head and neck cancer, and chairs multicenter trials of targeted therapy and immunotherapy in head and neck cancer. Her laboratory studies novel combinatorial therapies to target p53 mutated head and neck cancer.

Coauthors

Research Interests

Drug Therapy; Head and Neck Neoplasms; Medical Oncology; Chemicals and Drugs; Analytical, Diagnostic and Therapeutic Techniques and Equipment

Selected Publications

Clinical Trials

ConditionsStudy Title
Larynx; Lip, Oral Cavity and PharynxA Phase 4, Single-arm, Open-label Clinical Study of Pembrolizumab (MK-3475) to Evaluate the Efficacy and Safety of MK-3475 Plus Carboplatin and Paclitaxel as First-line Treatment of Recurrent/Metastatic Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma (KEYNOTE B10)
Larynx; Lip, Oral Cavity and PharynxA Phase 2, Randomized, Open-label Three-arm Clinical Study to Evaluate the Safety and Efficacy of Lenvatinib (E7080/MK-7902) in Combination With Pembrolizumab (MK-3475) Versus Standard of Care Chemotherapy and Lenvatinib Monotherapy in Participants With Recurrent/Metastatic Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma (R/M HNSCC) That Have Progressed After Platinum Therapy and Immunotherapy (PD-1/PD-L1 Inhibitors) (LEAP-009)
Lip, Oral Cavity and Pharynx; Other Skin; Soft TissueA Randomized, Controlled, Open-Label, Phase 2 Study of Cemiplimab as a Single Agent and in Combination With RP1 in Patients With Advanced Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Corpus Uteri; Larynx; Lung; Soft Tissue; Unknown SitesA Phase 2 Open Label Study of Sacituzumab Govitecan (IMMU-132) in Subjects With Metastatic Solid Tumors
Esophagus; Larynx; Lip, Oral Cavity and Pharynx; Thyroid; Phase IA Phase 1, First-in-Human, Open-Label, Dose Escalation and Expansion Study of CUE-101 Monotherapy in Patients With HPV+ Recurrent/ Metastatic Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma (HNSCC)
Esophagus; Larynx; Lip, Oral Cavity and PharynxA Phase II/III Randomized Study of Maintenance Nivolumab Versus Observation in Patients With Locally Advanced, Intermediate Risk HPV Positive OPCA
Other SkinA Phase 3, Randomized, Double-blind, Placebo-controlled Study to Evaluate Pembrolizumab Versus Placebo as Adjuvant Therapy Following Surgery and Radiation in Participants With High-risk Locally Advanced Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma (LA cSCC) (KEYNOTE-630)
Larynx; Lip, Oral Cavity and PharynxA Phase I Study of M6620 (VX-970) in Combination With Cisplatin and XRT in Patients With Locally Advanced HPV (-) Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma (HNSCC; SDC 10060121)
Lip, Oral Cavity and PharynxPhase II Randomized Trial of Neo-Adjuvant Chemotherapy Followed by Surgery and Post-Operative Radiation Versus Surgery and Post-Operative Radiation for Organ Preservation of T3 and T4a Nasal and Paranasal Sinus Squamous Cell Carcinoma (NPNSCC)
Larynx; Lip, Oral Cavity and PharynxSingle-Arm Phase II Trial of Dual Inhibition of EGFR With Afatinib and Cetuximab With Correlative Studies in the Second-Line Treatment of Recurrent or Metastatic Squamous Cell Cancers of the Head and Neck
Anus; Bones and Joints; Brain and Nervous System; Breast - Female; Breast - Male; Colon; Corpus Uteri; Esophagus; Eye and Orbit; Hodgkin's Lymphoma; Kaposi's sarcoma; Kidney; Larynx; Lip, Oral Cavity and Pharynx; Liver; Lung; Lymphoid Leukemia; Melanoma, skin; Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma; Other Digestive Organ; Other Endocrine System; Other Female Genital; Other Male Genital; Other Respiratory and Intrathoracic Organs; Other Skin; Other Urinary; Ovary; Pancreas; Prostate; Rectum; Small Intestine; Soft Tissue; Stomach; Thyroid; Cervix; Urinary BladderNCI-MATCH: Targeted Therapy Directed by Genetic Testing in Treating Patients With Advanced Refractory Solid Tumors or Lymphomas
Larynx; Lip, Oral Cavity and PharynxPhase II Randomized Trial of Adjuvant Radiotherapy With or Without Cisplatin for p53 Mutated, Surgically Resected Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Head and Neck (SCCHN)
Larynx; Lip, Oral Cavity and PharynxRadiation Therapy With Cisplatin, Docetaxel, or Cetuximab After Surgery in Treating Patients With Stage III-IV Squamous Cell Head and Neck Cancer
Lip, Oral Cavity and PharynxIndividualized Treatment in Treating Patients With Stage II-IVB Nasopharyngeal Cancer Based on EBV DNA
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