Dr. W. K. Alfred Yung

Regular Member

The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
Department of Neuro-Oncology

Research Interests:

• Growth regulation, differentiation and tumor heterogeneity in human primary brain tumors

We are interested in the molecular mechanism of tumor progression and differentiation, as well as the role of growth factors like EGF and TGFs in growth regulation of human brain tumors. The role of biologic agents and antisense oligonucleotides as growth inhibitors is being investigated.

A tutorial in this laboratory would include introduction to a variety of techniques in cell biology and biochemistry.

Selected Publications:

Groves MD, Hess KR, Puduvalli VK, Colman H, Conrad CA, Gilbert MR, Weinberg J, Cristofanilli M, Yung WK, Liu TJ. Biomarkers of Disease: Cerebrospinal fluid Vascular Endothelial Growth factor (VEGF) and Stromal cell derived factor (SDF-1) levels in patients with neoplastic meningitis (NM) due to breast cancer, lung cancer and melanoma. J Neurooncol 94(2):229-34, 9/2009. e-Pub 3/7/2009. PMID: 19267183.

Wen PY, Yung WK, Lamborn KR, Norden AD, Cloughesy TF, Abrey LE, Fine HA, Chang SM, Robins HI, Fink K, Deangelis LM, Mehta M, Di Tomaso E, Drappatz J, Kesari S, Ligon KL, Aldape K, Jain RK, Stiles CD, Egorin MJ, Prados MD. Phase II study of imatinib mesylate (Gleevec(R)) for recurrent meningiomas (North American Brain Tumor Consortium Study 01-08). Neuro Oncol 11(6):853-60, 3/2009. e-Pub 3/2009. PMCID: PMC2802405.

Powis G, Ihle NT, Yung WK. Inhibiting PI-3-K for glioma therapy. Cell Cycle 8(3). e-Pub 2/1/2009. PMID: 19164951.

Gomez-Manzano C, Holash J, Fueyo J, Xu J, Conrad CA, Aldape KD, de Groot JF, Bekele BN, Yung WK. VEGF Trap induces antiglioma effect at different stages of disease. Neuro Oncol 10(6):940-5, 12/2008. e-Pub 8/2008. PMID: 18708344.

de Groot JF, Gilbert MR, Aldape K, Hess KR, Hanna TA, Ictech S, Groves MD, Conrad C, Colman H, Puduvalli VK, Levin V, Yung WK. Phase II study of carboplatin and erlotinib (Tarceva, OSI-774) in patients with recurrent glioblastoma. J Neurooncol 90(1):89-97, 10/2008. e-Pub 6/2008. PMID: 18581057.

de Groot JF, Yung WK. Bevacizumab and irinotecan in the treatment of recurrent malignant gliomas. Cancer J 14(5):279-85, Sep-Oct, 9/2008. PMID: 18836331.

Chang SM, Lamborn KR, Kuhn JG, Yung WK, Gilbert MR, Wen PY, Fine HA, Mehta MP, DeAngelis LM, Lieberman FS, Cloughesy TF, Robins HI, Abrey LE, Prados MD, Prados MD. Neuro-Oncology clinical trial design for targeted therapies -- Lessons learned from the North American Brain Tumor Consortium. Neuro Oncol 10(4):631-642, 8/2008. e-Pub 6/2008. PMCID: PMC2666238.

Prados MD, Yung WKA, Wen PY, Junck L, Cloughesy T, Fink K, Chang S, Robins HI, Dancey J, Kuhn J. Phase I trial of gefitinib and temozolomide in patients with malignant gliomas: A North American Brain Tumor Consortium Study. Cancer Chemother Pharmacol 61((6)):1059-1067, 5/2008. e-Pub 8/2007. PMID: 17694310.

Corn BW, Moughan J, Knisely JP, Fox SW, Chakravarti A, Yung WK, Curran WJ Jr, Robins HI, Brachman DG, Henderson RH, Mehta MP, Movsas B. Prospective evaluation of quality of life and neurocognitive effects in patients with multiple brain metastases receiving whole-brain radiotherapy with or without thalidomide on Radiation Therapy Oncology (RTOG) Trial 0118. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 71((1)):71-8, 5/2008. e-Pub 12/2007. PMID: 18164829.

Groves MD, Glantz MJ, Chamberlain MC, Baumgartner KE, Conrad CA, Hsu S, Wefel JS, Gilbert MR, Ictech S, Hunter KU, Formad AD, Puduvallil VP, Colman HC, Hess KR, Yung WKA. A multicenter Phase II trial of intrathecal topotecan in patients with meningeal malignancies. Neuro Oncol 10(2):208-215, 4/2008. e-Pub 3/3/2008. PMCID: PMC2613823.

Puduvalli VK, Giglio P, Groves MD, Hess K, Gilbert MR, Mahankali S, Jackson E, Levin V, Conrad CA, Hsu S, Colman H, deGroot J, Ritterhouse MG, Ictech S, Yung WKA. Phase II trial of irinotecan and thalidomide in adults with recurrent glioblastoma multiforme. Neuro Oncol 10(2):216-222, 4/2008. e-Pub 2/26/2008. PMCID: PMC2613824.

Lamborn KR, Yung WKA, Chang SM, Wen PY, Cloughesy TF, DeAngelis LM, Robins HI, Lieberman FS, Fine HA, Fink KL, Junck L, Abrey L, Gilbert MR, Mehta M, Kuhn JG, Aldape KD, Hibberts J, Peterson PM, Prados MD. Progression-free survival: An important end point in evaluating therapy for recurrent high-grade gliomas. Neuro Oncol 10(2):162-170, 4/2008. e-Pub 3/2008. PMCID: PMC2613818

Additional Publications