PHILADELPHIA (June 21, 2022)—Erica Huelsmann, MD, a Gynecological Oncology Fellow at Fox Chase Cancer Center, has been awarded a 2022 Conquer Cancer Merit Award by Conquer Cancer, the ASCO Foundation. The prestigious award, given at the 2022 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting, supports researchers with projects that span many areas of cancer care, including precision medicine, palliative care, and breast cancer.
“We are immeasurably proud of Dr. Huelsmann and are very excited to see that her talent as a researcher and gynecologic oncologist is being recognized by Conquer Cancer,” said Christina S. Chu, MD, interim chief of the Division of Gynecologic Oncology and director of the Gynecological Oncology Fellowship at Fox Chase.
Huelsmann was one of more than 400 promising cancer researchers representing 32 countries who received part of over $12 million awarded by Conquer Cancer to accelerate cancer research.
The award recognized Huelsmann’s research, which focused on methods of prolonging disease-free intervals in advanced epithelial ovarian cancer (AEOC) patients using maintenance therapy. AEOC is the fifth most common cause of death due to cancer in women in the United States. Although there is an 80% treatment response initially in patients, most cancers recur within two years.
Huelsmann examined national approaches to front-line maintenance therapy following treatment of AEOC with PARPi, which are poly-(ADP) ribose polymerase inhibitors. The study, which she conducted with other researchers at Fox Chase, found that despite previously documented high rates of response to maintenance PARPi and increased use over time, less than 50% of patients with AEOC receive this regimen.
“Thank you to the generous Conquer Cancer donors who are supporting the remarkable group of individuals we are honoring,” said Howard A. Burris III, MD, FACP, FASCO, chair of the Conquer Cancer Board of Directors. “It is these rising leaders whose projects offer a range of creative approaches to cancer care who are working to accelerate breakthrough research and empower people everywhere to conquer cancer. While these grants and awards provide funding to explore inventive ideas and opportunities to build meaningful careers, they also offer great hope to our patients.”
