Cancer Biomarkers and Pharmacogenomics

Last updated on May 1, 2025 collaborations
Figure 1 reproduced from Till, et al. (2025).

Liquid biopsy uses non-solid biological tissue (e.g., blood) for prognosis and monitoring of various conditions, including cancer. In this series of collaborations with Erica L. Carpenter, MBA, PhD, we investigate various biomarkers – including and especially circulating tumor cells and cell-free DNA – for their capacity to provide early detection of disease or ability to improve prognosis. I provide statistical expertise

A collaboration with Erica L. Carpenter, MBA, PhD investigating the use of blood-based biomarkers for cancer prognosis.

applied cancer
Nicholas J. Seewald
Nicholas J. Seewald
Assistant Professor of Biostatistics

Assistant Professor of Biostatistics at the University of Pennsyvlania Perelman School of Medicine

Publications

Corticosteroid-dependent association between prognostic peripheral blood cell-free DNA levels and neutrophil-mediated NETosis in patients with glioblastoma

Purpose: Non-invasive prognostic biomarkers to inform clinical decision-making are an urgent unmet need for the management of patients …

Jacob E. Till, Nicholas J. Seewald, Zachariya Yazdani, Zhuoyang Wang, Dominique Ballinger, Heather Samberg, Siri Dandu, Camilla Macia, Melinda Yin, Aseel Abdalla, Timothy Prior, Shivani Shah, Thara Patel, Emily McCoy, Maikel Monsour, Carson A. Wills, Veronica Bochenek, Jonathan Serrano, Matija Snuderl, Richard E. Phillips, Donald M. O’Rourke, Nduka M. Amankulor, Ali Nabavizadeh, Arati S. Desai, Kandace Gollomp, Zev A. Binder, Wanding Zhou, Stephen J. Bagley, Erica L. Carpenter
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[Abstract] Does liver tumor morphology predict outcomes after LDT, PRRT or captem?

Background: Patients with metastatic neuroendocrine tumor (NET) have multiple options for liver-directed therapy (LDT) and systemic …

Cathal O'Leary, David Tischfield, Rony Avritscher, Ghassan El-Haddad, Nicholas Fidelman, Ricardo Garcia-Monaco, Nimrata Vijayvergia, Pamela Kunz, Nicholas J. Seewald, Michael C. Soulen
Project DOI
[Abstract] Association of BRCA1/2 pathogenic variants with primary tumor location and metastatic organotropism in pancreatic adenocarcinoma

Background: Pancreatic cancers (PDACs) with BRCA1/2 pathogenic variants (PVs) are prognostically favorable and predict response to …

Ryan Hood, Srishti Rathore, Nicholas J. Seewald, Kim Anna Reiss
Project DOI
[Abstract] Interaction of BRCA1 vs BRCA2 pathogenic variants with primary tumor location in pancreatic cancer

Background: BRCA1/2 germline or somatic pathogenic variants (PVs) are found in 5-10% of pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PDAC) patients. …

Ryan Hood, Nicholas J. Seewald, Srishti Rathore, Kim Anna Reiss
Project DOI
Evidence for Association of SNPs in ABCB1 and CBR3, but Not RAC2, NCF4, SLC28A3 or TOP2B, with Chronic Cardiotoxicity in a Cohort of Breast Cancer Patients Treated with Anthracyclines
AIMS: Validation of associations for SNPs in RAC2, NCF4 and SLC28A3, identification of a novel association with a TOP2B SNP and …
Daniel L. Hertz, Megan V. Caram, Kelley M. Kidwell, Jacklyn N. Thibert, Christina Gersch, Nicholas J. Seewald, Jeffrey Smerage, Melvyn Rubenfire, N. Lynn Henry, Kathleen A. Cooney, Monika Leja, Jennifer J. Griggs, James M. Rae"
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Polymorphisms in Drug-Metabolizing Enzymes and Steady-State Exemestane Concentration in Postmenopausal Patients with Breast Cancer
Discovery of clinical and genetic predictors of exemestane pharmacokinetics was attempted in 246 postmenopausal patients with breast …
Daniel L. Hertz, Kelley M. Kidwell, Nicholas J. Seewald, Christina L. Gersch, Zeruesenay Desta, David A. Flockhart, Ana-Maria Storniolo, Vered Stearns, Todd C. Skaar, Daniel F. Hayes, N. Lynn Henry, James M. Rae"
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