Alessandro Santin, MD
Professor of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive SciencesCards
About
Research
Overview
Dr. Santin is a skilled gynecologic oncologist and talented clinical scientist who has a strong background in training and mentoring talented young physician-scientists. He has been involved in the training of 50 post-doctoral fellows, including Gynecologic Oncology, Medical Oncology and Surgical Oncology Fellows, the majority of whom have gone on to academic careers in the U.S. and abroad in Gynecologic Oncology and cancer research.
Dr. Santin’s research and clinical accomplishments have been published in high-impact journals in the cancer research field, including the New England Journal of Medicine, Cancer Research, Clinical Cancer Research, and the Journal of Virology, while numerous additional publications have been reported in subspecialty journals. Dr. Santin’s translational research program in ovarian cancer has been funded multiple times by federal agencies including the Department of Defense (DoD), the National Institute of Health (NIH) as well as private National and International Foundations. He is currently funded by NIH to evaluate the potential use of Clostridium Perfringens Enterotoxin (CPE) as a novel therapy against chemotherapy resistant ovarian carcinoma.
His research program spans a range from basic studies in molecular cancer genetics and tumor immunology to translational clinical cancer research testing novel immunotherapeutic strategies and targeted compounds in vivo for the treatment of gynecologic malignancies. Dr. Santin is an active member of the Gynecologic Oncology Group (GOG) and the International Gynecological Cancer Society (IGCS), the two largest organizations of gynecologic oncologists in the world. He is a member of the GOG Developmental Therapeutics Committee, a national Committee that reviews multi-site concepts/protocols to be implemented at nationwide level by the GOG funded by the NIH and he is Chairman for the entire GOG of multiple Phase II clinical studies testing novel biologic agents in patient harboring gynecologic malignancies.
Dr. Santin has initiated and completed multiple investigator’s initiated FDA approved clinical trials in gynecologic cancer patients using novel immunotherapeutic strategies developed and characterized in his own laboratory. Dr Santin 's bench-to-bedside research work in uterine serous carcinoma (USC), one of the most biologically aggressive and lethal variant of endometrial cancer, has established a new standard of care for patients with both advanced and recurrent USC harboring c-erbB2 gene amplification (ie, carboplatin/paclitaxel/trastuzumab is now included in the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) guidelines, which are widely recognized and used as the standard for clinical policy in oncology by both clinicians and payers, as the preferred regimen for the treatment of women with HER2+, advanced or recurrent USC).
Dr. Santin also serves as peer reviewer for a number of journals including Lancet, Nature Medicine, Cancer Research, Journal of Clinical Oncology, Clinical Cancer Research, American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology, International Journal of Cancer, British Journal of Cancer, Gynecologic Oncology, International Journal of Radiation Oncology, Obstetrics & Gynecology, Journal of Immunotherapy, International Journal of Gynecological Cancer, Cancer Immunology Immunotherapy, BMC Cancer, Cancer Detection & Prevention, Molecular Cancer Research, Cancer, Cancer Biology & Therapy, Reproductive Sciences.
Medical Subject Headings (MeSH)
Academic Achievements and Community Involvement
Clinical Care
Overview
Alessandro D. Santin, MD, is an oncologist who cares for patients with endometrial and other gynecologic cancers. He is experienced with intraperitoneal chemotherapy, which is given through the abdomen to treat ovarian cancer. Dr. Santin also treats patients from Connecticut and beyond who have been diagnosed with uterine serous carcinoma (USC), a highly aggressive and chemotherapy-resistant cancer.
Dr. Santin says his research, which explores cancers of the ovary, endometrium and cervix, as well as tumor immunology and immunotherapy, is driven by a desire to find better treatments for his patients.
“When you see a patient in the office, in the hospital after surgery or after they receive chemotherapy, you really understand that we need to do more,” Dr. Santin says.
Therefore, keeping an honest and open dialogue with patients is key, he says. “I let them know how serious the disease is,” he says. “But if we are upfront about their prognosis, we can also take advantage of cutting-edge treatments that we have available at Yale. Right now, genetics help us better understand the biology of the disease and allow for some patients to use new treatments that can make a difference.”
A professor of obstetrics, gynecology and reproductive sciences at Yale School of Medicine, Dr. Santin has been recognized as a "top doctor" in the state by a regional ranking service.
Clinical Specialties
Fact Sheets
Minimally Invasive Surgery
Learn More on Yale MedicineMinimally Invasive Reproductive Surgery
Learn More on Yale MedicineUterine Sarcoma
Learn More on Yale MedicineMinimally Invasive Gynecologic Surgery
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Board Certifications
Obstetrics & Gynecology
- Certification Organization
- Italian Board of Obstetrics & Gynecology
- Original Certification Date
- 1993