Overview
Our research initiatives are led by world-class scientists and researchers whose work is recognized both nationally and internationally. These researchers are contributing important discoveries and innovations that have real-world impacts. Their efforts not only further facilitate our understanding of cancer but also help develop more effective and personalized treatment strategies. Bench research allows us to explore the fundamental biological mechanisms that underpin cancer leading to potential new therapies and technologies. Our clinical research, particularly clinical trials, translates these discoveries into direct patient care, evaluating the efficacy and safety of new treatments before they are widely implemented. This integration of novel therapies into clinical practice can dramatically improve patient outcomes. Meanwhile, our epidemiological and outcomes research focuses on understanding the patterns, causes, and effects of cancer within populations. This broad perspective helps us identify risk factors and determine optimal prevention strategies, enhancing public health efforts across Saskatchewan and beyond.
The Cancer Research Unit
The Cancer Research Department was established in May 1990 and is home to four research scientists. The research faculty are also members of Cancer Cluster. All research carried out within the Unit is funded by competitive peer-reviewed grants from local and national agencies including the Saskatchewan Cancer Agency, Saskatchewan Health Research Foundation (SHRF), Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC), Cancer Research Society (CRS), and Canadian Foundation for Innovation (CFI).
The research scientists provide state-of-the-art laboratory experiences with a very active training environment for summer students, fourth-year honors research project students, M.Sc. and Ph.D. level graduate students, and Post-Doctoral Fellows. Each scientist holds an appointment in the Department of Oncology, College of Medicine and is typically also an Associate member of a second department such as Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology (BMI), Anatomy, Physiology and Pharmacology (APP), and/or Pathology. The scientists actively participate in these departments and can teach in both undergraduate and graduate courses. This also enables the scientists to supervise graduate students within these academic departments. Undergraduate students within these departments can obtain research experience during the summer months when they are employed as summer students. Many of these students eventually go on to graduate work.
Director of Research – Dr. Deborah Anderson
Clinical Trials
Clinical trials play a pivotal role in advancing cancer care by providing a platform for the development and evaluation of novel approaches to prevention, detection, and treatment. These studies are designed to explore new drugs, surgical techniques, radiation therapies, or combinations with the ultimate goal of improving outcomes for cancer patients. Importantly, clinical trials are a critical step in the process of bringing new treatments to cancer patients ensuring that they are safe and effective before they are widely adopted.
Participating in a clinical trial offers cancer patients access to novel treatments that may not yet be available through standard care. By enrolling in a trial, patients have the opportunity to receive innovative therapies that could potentially be more effective. Additionally, participation in a clinical trial allows patients to contribute to the advancement of medical knowledge and the development of future treatments for cancer.
The faculty play a crucial role in facilitating access to clinical trials for eligible patients. By staying informed about ongoing research studies and understanding their patients' unique medical histories and treatment goals, they can help identify suitable clinical trial opportunities. Physicians are members of the Canadian Cancer Trials Group (CCTG) and collaborate with major cooperative clinical trials groups such as the National Cancer Institute's (NCI) Cooperative Groups, as well as run investigator initiated studies. Through collaboration with these groups and adherence to ethical guidelines, cancer specialists ensure that patients have access to innovated therapy while upholding the highest standards of care and safety. By actively participating in the clinical trial process, members of the oncology team contribute to advancing medical knowledge and improving outcomes for cancer patients on a broader scale.
Director of Clinical Research – Lynn Dwernychuk
Publications & Presentations
Ahmed S. Innovation and Discovery: A 30-Year Journey in Advancing Cancer Care. Curr Oncol. 2024 Apr 8;31(4):2109-2111. doi: 10.3390/curroncol31040156. PMID: 38668059; PMCID: PMC11049086.
Cao JQ, Surgeoner B, Manna M, Boileau JF, Gelmon KA, Brackstone M, Brezden-Masley C, Jerzak KJ, Prakash I, Sehdev S, Wong SM, Bouganim N, Cescon DW, Chia S, Dayes IS, Joy AA, Henning JW. Guidance for Canadian Breast Cancer Practice: National Consensus Recommendations for Clinical Staging of Patients Newly Diagnosed with Breast Cancer. Curr Oncol. 2024 Nov 15;31(11):7226-7243. doi: 10.3390/curroncol31110533. PMID: 39590163; PMCID: PMC11592626.
Dhillon G, Llaurado-Fernandez M, Tessier-Cloutier B, Sy K, Bassiouny D, Han G, Wong NKY, McRae K, Kinloch M, Pors J, Hopkins L, Covens A, Köbel M, Lee CH, Carey MS. Ovarian carcinosarcomas: p53 status defines two distinct patterns of oncogenesis and outcomes. Front Oncol. 2024 Aug 16;14:1408196. doi: 10.3389/fonc.2024.1408196. PMID: 39220645; PMCID: PMC11361923.
Ding Y, Denomy C, Freywald A, Pan Y, Vizeacoumar FJ, Vizeacoumar FS, Wu FX. Systematic Comparison of CRISPR and shRNA Screens to Identify Essential Genes Using a Graph-Based Unsupervised Learning Model. Cells. 2024 Oct 4;13(19):1653. doi: 10.3390/cells13191653. PMID: 39404416; PMCID: PMC11475473.
Dolgova N, Uhlemann EE, Boniecki MT, Vizeacoumar FS, Ara A, Nouri P, Ralle M, Tonelli M, Abbas SA, Patry J, Elhasasna H, Freywald A, Vizeacoumar FJ, Dmitriev OY. MEMO1 binds iron and modulates iron homeostasis in cancer cells. Elife. 2024 Apr 19;13:e86354. doi: 10.7554/eLife.86354. PMID: 38640016; PMCID: PMC11081632.
Doyle C, Lohmann AE, Iqbal N, Henning JW, Kulkarni S, Califaretti N, Hilton J, Ferrario C, Bouganim N, Mates M, Guillemette S, Leite R, Caron MA, Thireau F, Machado A, Chia S. A Canadian real-world, multi-center, prospective, observational study assessing the treatment duration, the treatment sequence, and the overall survival for patients treated with endocrine therapy ± targeted therapy in HR + HER2-negative advanced breast cancer. Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2025 Jan 23. doi: 10.1007/s10549-024-07580-8. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 39847203.
Gahramanov V, Vizeacoumar FS, Morales AM, Bonham K, Sakharkar MK, Kumar S, Vizeacoumar FJ, Freywald A, Sherman MY. Cancer Cell's Achilles Heels: Considerations for Design of Anti-Cancer Drug Combinations. Int J Mol Sci. 2024 Dec 17;25(24):13495. doi: 10.3390/ijms252413495. PMID: 39769257; PMCID: PMC11676151.
Hahn LA, Torlakovic E, Bosch M. Gelatinous Transformation of Bone Marrow Following Lymphoma and a Novel, Potential Treatment. Cureus. 2024 Apr 30;16(4):e59354. doi: 10.7759/cureus.59354. PMID: 38817486; PMCID: PMC11138238.
Harris ED, Sharpe JC, Strozen T, Abdi S, Kliewer M, Sanchez MG, Hogan NS, MacDonald-Dickinson V, Vizeacoumar FJ, Toosi BM. The EphA2 Receptor Regulates Invasiveness and Drug Sensitivity in Canine and Human Osteosarcoma Cells. Cells. 2024 Jul 16;13(14):1201. doi: 10.3390/cells13141201. PMID: 39056783; PMCID: PMC11275032.
Hopkins L, Carey M, Brown L, McCrea S, Milne M, Tokaryk D, Stacey D. The Development and Testing of a Patient Decision Aid for Individuals with Homologous Recombinant Proficient Ovarian Cancer Who Are Considering Niraparib Maintenance Therapy. Curr Oncol. 2024 Mar 8;31(3):1416-1425. doi: 10.3390/curroncol31030107. PMID: 38534940; PMCID: PMC10969309.
Izhar Wallach, Denzil Bernard, Kong Nguyen, Gregory Ho, Adrian Morrison, Adrian Stecula, Andreana Rosnik, A, Deborah H Anderson, Evgenia Glukhov, Evripidis Gavathiotis, Fang Yu, Fei Xiang, Fenfei Leng, Feng Wang, Filippo Ingoglia, Focco van den Akker, Francesco Borriello, Franco J Vizeacoumar, Frank Luh, Frederick S Buckner, Frederick S Vizeacoumar, Fredj Ben Bdira, Fredrik Svensson, G and others. Atomwise AIMS Program. AI is a viable alternative to high throughput screening: a 318-target study. Sci Rep. 2024 Apr 2;14(1):7526. doi: 10.1038/s41598-024-54655-z. Erratum in: Sci Rep. 2024 Sep 16;14(1):21579. doi: 10.1038/s41598-024-70321-w. PMID: 38565852; PMCID: PMC10987645
Jibb L, Laverty M, Johnston DL, Rayar M, Truong TH, Kulkarni K, Renzi S, Alvi S, Kaur J, Winch N, Gupta S, Marjerrison S. Association Between Socioeconomic Factors and Childhood Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Treatment- and Survival-Related Outcomes in Canada. Pediatr Blood Cancer. 2025 Feb;72(2):e31472. doi: 10.1002/pbc.31472. Epub 2024 Nov 30. PMID: 39616417.
Kaedbey R, Reece D, Venner CP, McCurdy A, Su J, Chu M, Louzada M, Jimenez-Zepeda VH, Mian H, Song K, Sebag M, Stakiw J, White D, Reiman A, Aslam M, Kotb R, Bergstrom D, Gul E, LeBlanc R. Long-term follow-up of outcomes including progression-free survival 2 in patients with transplant-ineligible multiple myeloma in the real-world practice: A multi-institutional report from the Canadian Myeloma Research Group (CMRG) database. EJHaem. 2024 Apr 29;5(3):474-484. doi: 10.1002/jha2.894. PMID: 38895063; PMCID: PMC11182392.
Khan A, Abonyi S, Neudorf C, Galea S, Ahmed S. Stakeholders' perspectives on barriers to and facilitators of school-based HPV vaccination in the context of COVID-19 pandemic-related disruption: a qualitative mixed methods study. Int J Qual Stud Health Well-being. 2024 Dec;19(1):2295879. doi: 10.1080/17482631.2023.2295879. Epub 2023 Dec 20. PMID: 38118074; PMCID: PMC10763868.
Kumar PP, Smith D, Key J, Dong H, Ganapathysamy A, Maranda V, Wong NKY, Fernandez ML, Kim H, Zhang G, Ewanowich C, Hopkins L, Freywald A, Postovit LM, Köbel M, Fu Y, Vizeacoumar FS, Vizeacoumar FJ, Carey MS, Lee CH. Preclinical 3D model screening reveals digoxin as an effective therapy for a rare and aggressive type of endometrial cancer. Gynecol Oncol. 2024 Sep;188:162-168. doi: 10.1016/j.ygyno.2024.06.029. Epub 2024 Jul 5. PMID: 38970843.
LeVasseur N, Manna M, Jerzak KJ. An Overview of Long-Acting GnRH Agonists in Premenopausal Breast Cancer Patients: Survivorship Challenges and Management. Curr Oncol. 2024 Jul 25;31(8):4209-4224. doi: 10.3390/curroncol31080314. PMID: 39195297; PMCID: PMC11352532.
Manna M, Brabant M, Greene R, Chamberlain MD, Kumar A, Alimohamed N, Brezden-Masley C. Canadian Expert Recommendations on Safety Overview and Toxicity Management Strategies for Sacituzumab Govitecan Based on Use in Metastatic Triple-Negative Breast Cancer. Curr Oncol. 2024 Sep 21;31(9):5694-5708. doi: 10.3390/curroncol31090422. PMID: 39330050; PMCID: PMC11431578.
Manna M, Gelmon KA, Boileau JF, Brezden-Masley C, Cao JQ, Jerzak KJ, Prakash I, Sehdev S, Simmons C, Bouganim N, Brackstone M, Cescon DW, Chia S, Dayes IS, Edwards S, Hilton J, Joy AA, Laing K, Webster M, Henning JW. Guidance for Canadian Breast Cancer Practice: National Consensus Recommendations for the Systemic Treatment of Patients with HER2+ Breast Cancer in Both the Early and Metastatic Setting. Curr Oncol. 2024 Oct 24;31(11):6536-6567. doi: 10.3390/curroncol31110484. PMID: 39590115; PMCID: PMC11593131.
Mathur S, Christou G, Delage R, Elemary M, Finn N, Geddes M, Houston DS, Keating MM, Khalaf D, Leber B, Leitch H, Lother SA, Mozessohn L, Nevill T, Parmentier A, Paulson K, Rimmer E, Sabloff M, Shamy A, St-Hilaire E, Storring J, Yee K, Zhang L, Zhu N, Hay AE, Zarychanski R, Buckstein R, Houston BL. Evaluation of infectious complications in patients with myelodysplastic syndromes: a prospective cohort study from the Canadian MDS registry. Ann Hematol. 2024 Dec;103(12):5241-5248. doi: 10.1007/s00277-024-06096-x. Epub 2024 Nov 22. PMID: 39572410.
Murray A, Linn SM, Yu B, Novitzky-Basso I, Mattsson J, Kennah M, Elemary M, White J, Lemieux C, Jamani K, Kim DDH. Real-world experience with ruxolitinib therapy for steroid-refractory acute graft versus host disease. Bone Marrow Transplant. 2024 Jun;59(6):759-764. doi: 10.1038/s41409-024-02249-8. Epub 2024 Feb 24. PMID: 38402344.
Parrish, R., Findley, R. (2024). Optimal Pharmacotherapy Strategies for Enhanced Postoperative Recovery in High-Risk Surgeries. In: Faintuch, J., Faintuch, S. (eds) Recent Strategies in High Risk Surgery. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-56270-9_29
Powers BK, Ponder HL, Findley R, Wolfe R, Patel GP, Parrish RH 2nd; Enhanced Recovery Comparative Pharmacotherapy Collaborative. Enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS® ) Society abdominal and thoracic surgery recommendations: A systematic review and comparison of guidelines for perioperative and pharmacotherapy core items. World J Surg. 2024 Mar;48(3):509-523. doi: 10.1002/wjs.12101. Epub 2024 Feb 13. PMID: 38348514.
Rawlyk B, Karunatilake M, Iqbal M, Eidsness R. Resolution of advanced conjunctival squamous cell carcinoma with cemiplimab immunotherapy, IFNα-2b, and retinoic acid treatment over 2 years of follow-up. Can J Ophthalmol. 2024 Oct;59(5):e641-e643. doi: 10.1016/j.jcjo.2024.03.011. Epub 2024 Apr 6. PMID: 38593982.
Sattar S, Haase KR, Puts M, Iddrisu M, Chalchal H, Souied O, Alibhai SMH, Ahmed S. Oncology care providers' perceptions and anticipated barriers regarding the use of geriatric assessment in routine clinic practice: A mixed-methods study. J Geriatr Oncol. 2024 May;15(4):101768. doi: 10.1016/j.jgo.2024.101768. Epub 2024 Apr 15. PMID: 38626515.
Sehdev SR, Rawson NSB, Aseyev OI, Buick CJ, Butler MO, Edwards S, Gill S, Gotfrit JM, Hsia CC, Juergens RA, Manna M, McCarthy JS, Mukherjee SD, Snow SL, Spadafora S, Stewart DJ, Wentzell JR, Wong RPW, Zalewski PG. Access to Oncology Medicines in Canada: Consensus Forum for Recommendations for Improvement. Curr Oncol. 2024 Mar 29;31(4):1803-1816. doi: 10.3390/curroncol31040136. PMID: 38668039; PMCID: PMC11048816.
Shahid RK, Haider Q, Yadav S, Le D, Ahmed S. Diabetic ketoacidosis and hyperglycaemic hyperosmolar syndrome in patients with cancer: A multicentre study. Clin Med (Lond). 2025 Jan;25(1):100262. doi: 10.1016/j.clinme.2024.100262. Epub 2024 Nov 9. PMID: 39522614; PMCID: PMC11635657.
Shouman M, Brabant M, Rehman N, Ahmed S, Shahid RK. Perioperative Management of Patients with Diabetes and Cancer: Challenges and Opportunities. Cancers (Basel). 2024 Aug 11;16(16):2821. doi: 10.3390/cancers16162821. PMID: 39199594; PMCID: PMC11353093.
Swaminath A, Parpia S, Wierzbicki M, Kundapur V, Faria S, Okawara GS, Tsakiridis TK, Ahmed N, Bujold A, Hirmiz K, Owen T, Leong N, Ramchandar K, Filion E, Lau H, Gabos Z, Thompson R, Yaremko B, Mehiri S, Louie AV, Quan K, Levine MN, Wright JR, Whelan TJ. Stereotactic vs Hypofractionated Radiotherapy for Inoperable Stage I Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: The LUSTRE Phase 3 Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Oncol. 2024 Nov;10(11):1571-1575. doi: 10.1001/jamaoncol.2024.3089. Epub 2024 Sep 19. PMID: 39298144; PMCID: PMC11413752.
Takhar P, Geirnaert M, Gavura S, Beca J, Mercer RE, Denburg A, Muñoz C, Tadrous M, Parmar A, Dionne F, Boehm D, Chambers C, Craig E, Trudeau M, Cheung MC, Houlihan J, McDonald V, Pechlivanoglou P, Taylor M, Wasylenko E, Wranik WD, Chan KKW. Application of Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) to Prioritize Real-World Evidence Studies for Health Technology Management: Outcomes and Lessons Learned by the Canadian Real-World Evidence for Value of Cancer Drugs (CanREValue) Collaboration. Curr Oncol. 2024 Apr 1;31(4):1876-1898. doi: 10.3390/curroncol31040141. PMID: 38668044; PMCID: PMC11049582.
Tam IS, Elemary M, DeCoteau J, Porwit A, Torlakovic EE. Morphological Clues of Acute Monocytic Leukemia in COVID-19-Induced Transient Leukoerythroblastic Reaction with Monocytosis. Hematol Rep. 2024 May 28;16(2):331-335. doi: 10.3390/hematolrep16020033. PMID: 38921181; PMCID: PMC11203109.
Tanguay M, Roy J, Su J, Gul E, Reece D, Venner CP, White D, Chu MP, Jimenez-Zepada VH, Song K, Mccurdy A, Mian H, Sebag M, Bergstrom D, Stakiw J, Reiman A, Kotb R, Aslam M, Kaedbey R, Louzada M, LeBlanc R. Disease Characteristics and Outcomes of 493 Young Myeloma Patients Treated With Modern Therapies: A Canadian Myeloma Research Group Database Study. Cancer Med. 2024 Nov;13(21):e70332. doi: 10.1002/cam4.70332. PMID: 39499045; PMCID: PMC11536480.
Tyndall H, Worobetz L, Nicholson M. A Case of Autoimmune Myelofibrosis Associated With Autoimmune Hepatitis. J Hematol. 2024 Aug;13(4):158-163. doi: 10.14740/jh1297. Epub 2024 Jul 30. PMID: 39247061; PMCID: PMC11379051.
Venner CP, Duggan P, Song K, Reece D, Sharma S, Su J, Jimenez-Zepeda VH, McCurdy A, Louzada M, Mian H, Sebag M, White D, Stakiw J, Kotb R, Aslam M, Reiman A, Gul E, Chu MP, Bergstrom D, LeBlanc R. Tandem Autologous Stem Cell Transplantation Does Not Benefit High-Risk Myeloma Patients in the Maintenance Era: Real-World Results from The Canadian Myeloma Research Group Database. Transplant Cell Ther. 2024 Sep;30(9):889-901. doi: 10.1016/j.jtct.2024.06.030. Epub 2024 Jul 4. PMID: 38971462.
Vink E, Antaya G, Hamula C, Holinaty C, Minion J, Pond GR, McCrea S, Dwernychuk L, Graham H, Broderick G, Kinloch M, Brown Broderick J. HPV Self-Sampling for Cervical Cancer Screening in Under-Screened Saskatchewan Populations: A Pilot Study. Curr Oncol. 2024 Jul 26;31(8):4261-4269. doi: 10.3390/curroncol31080317. PMID: 39195300; PMCID: PMC11352920.
Walker RJB, Stukel TA, de Mestral C, Nathens A, Breau RH, Hanna WC, Hopkins L, Schlachta CM, Jackson TD, Shayegan B, Pautler SE, Karanicolas PJ. Hospital volume-outcome relationships for robot-assisted surgeries: a population-based analysis. Surg Endosc. 2024 Aug;38(8):4531-4542. doi: 10.1007/s00464-024-10998-2. Epub 2024 Jun 27. PMID: 38937312.
Wong R, Anderson B, Bashir B, Bateman J, Chalchal H, Davies J, Dehmoobed A, Geller G, Ghose A, Gill S, Gordon V, Green S, Hebbard P, Iqbal M, Ji S, Karachiwala H, Kidane B, Kim C, Kosyachkova E, Krahn M, Krishnan T, Kristjanson M, Lee S, Lee-Ying R, Lelond S, Liu HW, Meyers D, Mulder K, Paul J, Planincic E. Report from the 25th Annual Western Canadian Gastrointestinal Cancer Consensus Conference on Gastric and Gastroesophageal Cancers, Winnipeg, Manitoba, 26-27 October 2023. Curr Oncol. 2024 Oct 7;31(10):5987-6006. doi: 10.3390/curroncol31100447. PMID: 39451751; PMCID: PMC11505746.
Xiang J, Leary SC, Wu Z, Yu M. Molecular basis and pathways of the Yin-Yang theory in T cell immunity. Front Immunol. 2024 Nov 14; 15:1463399. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1463399. PMID: 39611157; PMCID: PMC11602496.
Yu M, Xiang J. Modulating the immunotolerant tumor microenvironment to enhance irreversible electroporation ablation therapy. Clinical Research in Oncology. 2024;1(1):6–9.
Zeng PYF, Prokopec SD, Lai SY, Pinto N, Chan-Seng-Yue MA, Clifton-Bligh R, Williams MD, Howlett CJ, Plantinga P, Cecchini MJ, Lam AK, Siddiqui I, Wang J, Sun RX, Watson JD, Korah R, Carling T, Agrawal N, Cipriani N, Ball D, Nelkin B, Rooper LM, Bishop JA, Garnis C, Berean K, Nicolson NG, Weinberger P, Henderson YC, Lalansingh CM, Tian M, Yamaguchi TN, Livingstone J, Salcedo A, Patel K, Vizeacoumar F, Datti A, Xi L, Nikiforov YE, Smallridge R, Copland JA, Marlow LA, Hyrcza MD, Delbridge L, Sidhu S, Sywak M, Robinson B, Fung K, Ghasemi F, Kwan K, MacNeil SD, Mendez A, Palma DA, Khan MI, Shaikh M, Ruicci KM, Wehrli B, Winquist E, Yoo J, Mymryk JS, Rocco JW, Wheeler D, Scherer S, Giordano TJ, Barrett JW, Faquin WC, Gill AJ, Clayman G, Boutros PC, Nichols AC. The genomic and evolutionary landscapes of anaplastic thyroid carcinoma. Cell Rep. 2024 Mar 26;43(3):113826. doi: 10.1016/j.celrep.2024.113826. Epub 2024 Feb 26. PMID: 38412093; PMCID: PMC11077417.