Sanja Dacic, MD, PhD
Professor of PathologyCards
About
Research
Publications
2026
SWOG S2414 (INSIGHT): A randomized phase III trial incorporating pathologic complete response in participants with early-stage non-small cell lung cancer to optimize immunotherapy in the adjuvant setting.
Cetnar J, Zhao Y, Osarogiagbon R, Pellini B, Boyle T, Bittar H, Dacic S, Hesketh P, Gunturu K, Hsieh M, Unger J, Owen D, Suga J, Gelblum D, Hirsch F, Gray J. SWOG S2414 (INSIGHT): A randomized phase III trial incorporating pathologic complete response in participants with early-stage non-small cell lung cancer to optimize immunotherapy in the adjuvant setting. Journal Of Clinical Oncology 2026, 44: tps8131-tps8131. DOI: 10.1200/jco.2026.44.16_suppl.tps8131.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchNon-small cell lung cancerPathological complete responseDisease free survivalRandomized phase III trialPhase III trialsCell lung cancerComplete responsePatient-reported qualityIII trialsTherapeutic dilemmaEarly-stage non-small cell lung cancerLung cancerAnti-PD-1/PD-L1 agentsDisease free survival benefitEarly-stage NSCLC patientsDe-escalation of therapyPatient-reported quality of lifeNeoadjuvant chemo-immunotherapyEvent-free survivalAdjuvant therapy strategiesAdjuvant settingALK fusionsChemo-ImmunotherapyAdjuvant immunotherapyEGFR mutationsRF79. Radiographic Tumor Regression as a Predictor for Pathologic Response after Neoadjuvant Therapy for Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer
Bader J, De Santis W, Ermer T, Kramer R, Boffa D, Blasberg J, Resio B, Bader A, Dacic S, Woodard G. RF79. Radiographic Tumor Regression as a Predictor for Pathologic Response after Neoadjuvant Therapy for Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer. Journal Of Thoracic And Cardiovascular Surgery 2026, 171: s164. DOI: 10.1016/j.jtcvs.2026.03.527.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchRadiographic Tumor Regression as a Predictor for Pathologic Response after Neoadjuvant Therapy for Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer
Bader J, Ermer T, de Santis W, Ragoowansi H, Kramer R, Zolfaghari E, Tremblay E, Resio B, Boffa D, Blasberg J, Bader A, Dacic S, Woodard G. Radiographic Tumor Regression as a Predictor for Pathologic Response after Neoadjuvant Therapy for Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer. JTCVS Open 2026, 101831. DOI: 10.1016/j.xjon.2026.101831.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchPathological complete responseNon-small cell lung cancerNeoadjuvant therapyCell lung cancerPathological responseViable tumorTumor sizeLung cancerPathologic response to neoadjuvant therapyPatients treated with neoadjuvant therapyAssociated with pathologic complete responseResponse to neoadjuvant therapyPD-L1 statusPersistent viable tumorRadiographic tumor regressionRadiographic tumor responseRadiographic tumor sizeResidual viable tumorLong-term outcomesPET SUVmaxSUVmax decreaseComplete responseNeoadjuvant treatmentRadiographic responsePD-L1CEACAM5 as a biomarker of semi-solid, lepidic lung adenocarcinoma
Bader J, de Santis W, Kane E, Jaiswal A, Cho C, Kidacki M, Chen L, Dacic S, Woodard G. CEACAM5 as a biomarker of semi-solid, lepidic lung adenocarcinoma. Translational Lung Cancer Research 2026, 15: 131-131. PMID: 42291360, PMCID: PMC13263804, DOI: 10.21037/tlcr-2026-1-0102.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchNon-small cell lung cancerGround-glass opacitiesSolid non-small cell lung cancerCarcinoembryonic antigen-related cell adhesion molecule 5H-scoreLung cancerLung adenocarcinomaClinical Laboratory Improvement AmendmentsCell carcinomaLepidic adenocarcinomaRadiographic evolutionClinical historySurgically resected non-small cell lung cancerCarcinoembryonic antigenCD8+ T cellsSubtype of non-small cell lung cancerCEACAM5 expressionStage I adenocarcinomaB cell infiltrationInvasive lung cancerSquamous cell carcinomaCell lung cancerEarly detectionResistance to apoptosisStage adenocarcinomaUpdate on pleural epithelioid mesothelioma: New insights for diagnosis and patient management
Sallé F, Beasley M, Brcic L, Cooper W, Dacic S, de Perrot M, Tsao M, Klebe S, Churg A, Mansfield A, Baas P. Update on pleural epithelioid mesothelioma: New insights for diagnosis and patient management. Journal Of Thoracic Oncology 2026, 103720. PMID: 41962769, DOI: 10.1016/j.jtho.2026.103720.Peer-Reviewed Reviews, Practice Guidelines, Standards, and Consensus StatementsDiffuse pleural mesotheliomaHistological subtypesWHO classificationEpithelioid mesotheliomaCytologic featuresPatient managementTherapeutic strategiesTwo-tiered grading systemHistological subtype of mesotheliomaSubtypes of mesotheliomaAbundant myxoid stromaManagement of patientsRare tumor groupsReactive mesothelial proliferationsSolid componentsEpithelioid subtypeMyxoid stromaTumor groupGenomic subtypesNeoplastic mimicsSarcomatoid mesotheliomaDiffuse mesotheliomaPleural mesotheliomaMesothelial proliferationsDiagnostic accuracyMolecular Pathology of Lung Cancer
Lingard A, Dacic S. Molecular Pathology of Lung Cancer. Surgical Pathology Clinics 2026, 19: 275-284. PMID: 42091274, DOI: 10.1016/j.path.2026.01.003.Peer-Reviewed Reviews, Practice Guidelines, Standards, and Consensus Statements
2025
MET alterations are enriched in lung adenocarcinoma brain metastases, defining a distinct biologic subtype
Burns T, Dacic S, Chakka A, Miller E, Velez M, Somasundaram A, Bhattacharya S, Gaither-Davis A, Devadassan P, Jin J, Kumar V, Pennathur A, Xiu J, Oberley M, Glantz M, Aulakh S, Chandran U, Bao R, Tatsuoka C, Stabile L. MET alterations are enriched in lung adenocarcinoma brain metastases, defining a distinct biologic subtype. Journal Of Clinical Investigation 2025, 136: e194708. PMID: 41411048, PMCID: PMC12904726, DOI: 10.1172/jci194708.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchNon-small cell lung cancerBrain metastasesMET amplificationLung adenocarcinomaMET alterationsEvidence of metabolic adaptationRate of brain metastasesPrimary lung adenocarcinomaCirculating tumor DNACell lung cancerEpithelial-mesenchymal transition signalingExpression of Twist1Extracranial metastasesBM patientsInhibitors in vivoOverall survivalBiological subtypesTumor DNATumor microenvironmentLung adenocarcinoma brain metastasisSolid tumorsNon-smallLung cancerClinical challengeMetastasisNeoadjuvant Therapy and Lung Cancer: Role of Pathologists.
Dacic S. Neoadjuvant Therapy and Lung Cancer: Role of Pathologists. Archives Of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine 2025, 149: e78-e81. PMID: 39448058, DOI: 10.5858/arpa.2024-0203-ra.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsNeoadjuvant therapyLung carcinoma specimensCarcinoma specimensNon-small cell lung carcinoma specimensLung cancerPathologic response to neoadjuvant therapyClinical trialsAssessment of pathological responseSurgically resected lung carcinomasResponse to neoadjuvant therapyMicroscopic assessmentNeoadjuvant clinical trialsSurgically resected specimensPathology practiceNeoadjuvant settingViable tumorSurvival benefitLung carcinomaPathological responseScoring systemTherapyClinical practiceSurgicallyCancerLungRandomized Phase II Clinical Trial of Sulforaphane in Former Smokers at High Risk for Lung Cancer.
Yuan J, Kensler T, Dacic S, Hartman D, Wang R, Balogh P, Sufka P, Turner M, Fuhrer K, Seigh L, Pham Y, Adams-Haduch J, Valacchi G, Singh S, Herman J, Wilson D. Randomized Phase II Clinical Trial of Sulforaphane in Former Smokers at High Risk for Lung Cancer. Cancer Prevention Research 2025, 18: 335-345. PMID: 40041932, DOI: 10.1158/1940-6207.capr-24-0386.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsKi-67 indexRandomized phase II clinical trialKi-67TUNEL indexBronchial biopsiesSulforaphane groupCaspase-3Lung cancerFormer smokersOral supplementationClinical trialsNo severe AEsProliferative marker Ki-67Surrogate endpointsIntake of cruciferous vegetablesAssociated with lower incidenceApoptotic marker caspase-3Severe adverse eventsBioavailability of sulforaphaneRandomized clinical trialsLung cancer developmentLung cancer riskHigher bioavailabilityDaily doseAdverse eventsComparative performance of PD‐L1 scoring by pathologists and AI algorithms
Plass M, Olteanu G, Dacic S, Kern I, Zacharias M, Popper H, Fukuoka J, Ishijima S, Kargl M, Murauer C, Kalson L, Brcic L. Comparative performance of PD‐L1 scoring by pathologists and AI algorithms. Histopathology 2025, 87: 90-100. PMID: 39961605, PMCID: PMC12129605, DOI: 10.1111/his.15432.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsTumor proportion scoreNon-small cell lung carcinomaTumor proportion score cutoffPD-L1 expressionPD-L1Interobserver agreementImmune-checkpoint inhibitorsPD-L1 scoringCell lung carcinomaNon-small cell lung carcinoma treatmentModerate interobserver agreementNSCLC casesPredictive biomarkersLung carcinomaTherapeutic responseProportion scoreComparative effectivenessInterobserver concordancePathologist scoresWhole-slide imagesIntraobserver consistencyCohen's kappaPathologistsVisiopharmScores
Academic Achievements & Community Involvement
News
News
- May 06, 2026Source: Lung Cancer News Today (with Sanja Dacic, MD, PhD)
Cases and Conversations™: Next-Generation Pathology Advances and Considerations for Precision Care in Non–Small Cell Lung Cancer
- March 24, 2026
AI in Cancer Workshop: Advancing Precision Medicine through Interdisciplinary Innovation
- March 17, 2026
Yale Pathology Will Have Strong Presence at USCAP 2026
- September 08, 2025Source: OncoDaily
Dr. Sanja Dacic Awarded the 2025 Mary J. Matthews Pathology/Translational Research Award
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Locations
Yale New Haven Hospital
Academic Office
20 York Street, Rm EP2-631
New Haven, CT 06510