Dr. Efrat Dotan Appointed Vice Chair of Pancreas Task Force for the National Cancer Institute

Dr. Efrat Dotan appointed the vice chair of the NCI's Pancreas Task Force
Dr. Efrat Dotan appointed the vice chair of the NCI's Pancreas Task Force

PHILADELPHIA (February 15, 2022)—Efrat Dotan, MD, chief of the Division of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology at Fox Chase Cancer Center, has been appointed the vice chair of the National Cancer Institute’s (NCI) Pancreas Task Force as part of the Gastrointestinal Steering Committee (GISC).

Dotan, who is also an associate professor in the Department of Hematology/Oncology, specializes in the care of patients with gastrointestinal malignancies and clinical research on pancreatic and biliary cancers.

“I am honored and humbled to serve as the vice chair of the NCI Pancreas Task Force and help advance clinical research in the field of pancreatic cancer,” said Dotan. “Clinical trials in this area are desperately needed to identify new treatment options for patients with this cancer and to improve outcomes.”

The Pancreas Task Force is composed of lead clinical investigators and researchers in the field of pancreatic cancer who advise the NCI regarding clinical research proposals from all cooperative groups. The task force helps to promote cutting-edge research in pancreatic cancer.

As vice chair, Dotan will work with the rest of the task force to discuss and refine clinical trial concepts and advise the GISC on the scientific merit of phase 2 and 3 concepts, among other duties.

The role of the GISC is to implement an efficient and transparent process that will identify and promote clinical research on adult gastrointestinal cancers by addressing the design and prioritization of phase 2 and 3 studies within the National Clinical Trials Network.

Dotan has been working with the NCI’s Pancreas Task Force for several years as the principal investigator of the national pancreatic clinical trial, the GIANT study, and as a member of the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG-ACRIN).

She chairs the ECOG-ACRIN Geriatric Oncology Working Group, leading the development of clinical trials for older adults with cancer that focus on biomarkers of aging and identification of novel treatment options for this vulnerable group of patients.

Fox Chase Cancer Center (Fox Chase), which includes the Institute for Cancer Research and the American Oncologic Hospital and is a part of Temple Health, is one of the leading comprehensive cancer centers in the United States. Founded in 1904 in Philadelphia as one of the nation’s first cancer hospitals, Fox Chase was also among the first institutions to be designated a National Cancer Institute Comprehensive Cancer Center in 1974. Fox Chase is also one of just 10 members of the Alliance of Dedicated Cancer Centers. Fox Chase researchers have won the highest awards in their fields, including two Nobel Prizes. Fox Chase physicians are also routinely recognized in national rankings, and the Center’s nursing program has received the Magnet recognition for excellence six consecutive times. Today, Fox Chase conducts a broad array of nationally competitive basic, translational, and clinical research, with special programs in cancer prevention, detection, survivorship, and community outreach. It is the policy of Fox Chase Cancer Center that there shall be no exclusion from, or participation in, and no one denied the benefits of, the delivery of quality medical care on the basis of race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity/expression, disability, age, ancestry, color, national origin, physical ability, level of education, or source of payment.

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