Massimo Cristofanilli, MD, FACP

Video

Introductory Video of Dr. Cristofanilli

Medical Oncology
Chairman, Medical Oncology
Leader of the Breast Service Line
Co-Leader of the Women's Cancer Research Program
G. Morris Dorrance Jr. Endowed Chair in Medical Oncology

Meet the other members of the
Medical Oncology team.
Learn more about the
Fox Chase Women's Cancer Center.
Learn more about the
Inflammatory Breast Disease (IBC) Clinic.

Fox Chase Cancer Center
333 Cottman Avenue
Philadelphia, PA 19111-2497

New patients can request an appointment online or call 215-728-2570.

Appointments for Returning Patients

For general information, call:
1-888-FOX CHASE (1-888-369-2427).
An oncology certified nurse will assist you.

Clinical Expertise:

Locally advanced and Inflammatory Breast Cancer (IBC), Metastatic Breast Cancer

Medical Education:

MD, University La Sapienza, Rome, Italy, 1986

Residency:

Methods in Clinical Research 4th Annual Workshop, The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Vail, CO, 7/1999-8/1999;
Elective Rotation, Hematology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, L. Gee, MD, 5/1996;
Chief Resident, Internal Medicine, Cabrini Medical Center, New York, NY, W. Talavera, MD, 7/1995-6/1996;
Elective Rotation, Medical Oncology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, A.Surbone, MD, 1/1995-6/1995;
Resident (PGY-2), Internal Medicine, Cabrini Medical Center, New York, NY, W. Talavera, MD, 7/1994-6/1995;
Internship, Internal Medicine, Cabrini Medical Center, New York, NY, A. Taranta, MD, 7/1993-6/1994

Fellowships:

Fellowship, Medical Oncology, The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, Richard Pazdur, MD, 7/1996-6/1998;
Fellowship, Clinical Pathology (not completed), University La Sapienza, Rome, Italy, 1/1991-1/1993;
Fellowship, Medical Oncology, Oncology Certification with Honors, University La Sapienza, Rome, Italy, 12/1986-11/1990

Certifications:

European Society for Medical Oncology, Certification, 1999, Recertification Date: 2004;
American Board of Medical Oncology, 1999;
American Board of Internal Medicine, Certification, 1996-2006;
Italian Certification in Medical Oncology (cum Laude), 1990

Professional Societies:

Italian Association of Medical Oncology, Italy;
Italian Society of Immunology, Oncologic Embriology, Italy;
Italian Society of Palliative Care, Italy;
European Association of Cancer Research, United Kingdom;
International Society of Preventative Oncology, United Kingdom;
American Association for Cancer Research, PA;
American Society of Clinical Oncology;
American Society of Surgical Oncology Group, TX;
European Society Medical Oncology, Switzerland;
European Society of Breast Imaging, Austria;
Southwest Oncology Group, MI;t
American Society of Gene Therapy, WI;
American Society of Breast Disease, United Kingdom

Research Interests:

New diagnostics for detection and characterization of micrometastatic disease in primary and metastatic breast cancer, IBC, Endocrine-resistance disease, Novel targeted therapies.

Publications:

Recent Publications

Fox Chase Cancer Center Researchers Advocate for More Education and Attention Regarding Rare Breast Cancer
Philadelphia (October 19, 2010) – Inflammatory breast cancer (IBC), an aggressive and rare malignancy, is often initially misdiagnosed as an infection or rash. With that in mind, leading specialists from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center and Fox Chase Cancer Center have written a review of the current scientific and medical understanding of IBC, which includes key information on diagnosis, imaging, treatment, and cutting-edge research.
Full Story »

Noted breast cancer clinician and researcher Massimo Cristofanilli, MD, FACP, is the chairman of the Department of Medical Oncology at Fox Chase Cancer Center.  He joined the medical staff at Fox Chase in January 2010.
Read more »

My major research interest is the detection, characterization and possible therapeutic targeting of occult (microscopic) disease in breast cancer. Since 1999 I have established a research team to conduct collaborative efforts aimed at detection of microscopic disease in primary and metastatic disease by using established or innovative detection/enrichment technologies.

Our initial work using a novel immunomagnetic-based technology (CellSearch™) led to a pivotal trial which successfully demonstrated the detection and prognostic value of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in the peripheral blood of patients with metastatic breast cancer (MBC). Several seminal papers resulted from this initial study that have also fostered research in other tumor types and expanded the potential implication of microscopic disease in advanced cancer. My most recent studies focus on the biological characterization of CTCs and the link with cancer stem cells and in this endeavor, my laboratory has received grant funding from the NCI (RO1) and is also collaborating with several technology companies and bench investigators. I am leading a prospective trial to address possibilities of therapeutic targeting of CTCs with the goal to improve prognosis in MBC.

I have been involved in the development of new targeted agents in metastatic disease (e.g. lapatinib and gefitinib). In particular, I lead an investigator-initiated multicenter trial that successful demonstrated the superiority of combining an EGFR-inhibitor (Gefitinib) with anastrozole in postmenopausal women with hormone-receptor positive disease starting hormonal therapy. This seminal study provided supports for a new prospective study testing another tyrosine-receptor kinase inhibitor in similar population with the expectation of changing the standard of care of these patients.

I am a strong proponent of multidisciplinary team collaborations and perhaps the most successful of such and example is our recently developed Inflammatory Breast Cancer (IBC) Research Program and Clinic. I have assembled a group of investigators from various backgrounds (e.g. clinical, laboratory, imaging epidemiology) to address this aggressive and rare form of breast cancer. As a result of this effort, we were granted the first Promise Grant from the Susan G. Komen Foundation in the amount of $7.5 millions/5 years. Our contribution and leadership to awareness and education about IBC was consolidated with the organization of the First International Conference on IBC, held in Houston on December 5-7, 2008. I am determined to continue and expand such research areas in the future in my new position and mentor young academic physicians.