Junaid Arshad

Interests

Research

Dr. Arshad's Clinical and Research focus targets mainly the Upper GI Oncology including Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors, Gastric Cancers, Esophageal Cancers and Neuroendocrine Tumors. He is a part of several industry and investigator initiated clinical trials and has contributed to several peer reviewed publications. His prior research focuses on the use of biomarkers such as circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) in the diagnosis, treatment and surveillance of Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors. He has expanded his areas of research interest to include other disease modalities such as Neuroendocrine Cancers.

Courses

No activities entered.

Scholarly Contributions

Journals/Publications

• Del Rivero, J., Perez, K., Kennedy, E. B., Mittra, E. S., Vijayvergia, N., Arshad, J., Basu, S., Chauhan, A., Dasari, A. N., Bellizzi, A. M., Gangi, A., Grady, E., Howe, J. R., Ivanidze, J., Lewis, M., Mailman, J., Raj, N., Soares, H. P., Soulen, M. C., , White, S. B., et al. (2023).

  Systemic Therapy for Tumor Control in Metastatic Well-Differentiated Gastroenteropancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumors: ASCO Guideline

  . Journal of Clinical Oncology, 41(32), 5049-5067. doi:10.1200/jco.23.01529
• Arshad, J., Bialick, S., Rose, B. E., Espejo-Freire, A. P., Barreto Coelho, P., Costa, P. A., Campoverde, L., Drusbosky, L., Serrano, C., George, S., Bauer, S., Goel, N., Venkat, S., Dhir, A., Jonczak, E., D'Amato, G. Z., & Trent, J. C. (2022). KIT resistance mutations identified by circulating tumor DNA and treatment outcomes in advanced gastrointestinal stromal tumor.. Journal of Clinical Oncology, 40(16_suppl), 11514-11514. doi:10.1200/jco.2022.40.16_suppl.11514
• Arshad, J., Costa, P. A., Barreto-Coelho, P., Valdes, B. N., & Trent, J. C. (2021). Immunotherapy Strategies for Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor. Cancers, 13(14).
  More info

  Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST) are the most common mesenchymal soft tissue sarcoma of the gastrointestinal tract. The management of locally advanced or metastatic unresectable GIST involves detecting KIT, PDGFR, or other molecular alterations targeted by imatinib and other tyrosine kinase inhibitors. The role of immunotherapy in soft tissue sarcomas is growing fast due to multiple clinical and pre-clinical studies with no current standard of care. The potential therapies include cytokine-based therapy, immune checkpoint inhibitors, anti-KIT monoclonal antibodies, bi-specific monoclonal antibodies, and cell-based therapies. Here we provide a comprehensive review of the immunotherapeutic strategies for GIST.
• Espejo-Freire, A. P., Elliott, A., Rosenberg, A., Costa, P. A., Barreto-Coelho, P., Jonczak, E., D'Amato, G., Subhawong, T., Arshad, J., Diaz-Perez, J. A., Korn, W. M., Oberley, M. J., Magee, D., Dizon, D., von Mehren, M., Khushman, M. M., Hussein, A. M., Leu, K., & Trent, J. C. (2021). Genomic Landscape of Angiosarcoma: A Targeted and Immunotherapy Biomarker Analysis. Cancers, 13(19).
  More info

  We performed a retrospective analysis of angiosarcoma (AS) genomic biomarkers and their associations with the site of origin in a cohort of 143 cases. Primary sites were head and neck (31%), breast (22%), extremity (11%), viscera (20%), skin at other locations (8%), and unknown (9%). All cases had Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) data with a 592 gene panel, and 53 cases had Whole Exome Sequencing (WES) data, which we used to study the microenvironment phenotype. The immunotherapy (IO) response biomarkers Tumor Mutation Burden (TMB), Microsatellite Instability (MSI), and PD-L1 status were the most frequently encountered alteration, present in 36.4% of the cohort and 65% of head and neck AS (H/N-AS) ( < 0.0001). In H/N-AS, TMB-High was seen in 63.4% of cases ( < 0.0001) and PDL-1 positivity in 33% of cases. The most common genetic alterations were (29%), amplification (23%), (17%), (16%), and (13%). H/N-AS cases had predominantly mutations in (50.0%, = 0.0004), (40.5%, < 0.0001), and (33.3%, = 0.5875). In breast AS, leading alterations were amplification (63.3%, < 0.0001), (16.1%, = 0.0377), and (16.1%, = 0.2352). At other sites, conclusions are difficult to generate due to the small number of cases. A microenvironment with a high immune signature, previously associated with IO response, was evenly distributed in 13% of the cases at different primary sites. Our findings can facilitate the design and optimization of therapeutic strategies for AS.
• Arshad, J. (2020). Progress in determining response to treatment in gastrointestinal stromal tumor. Expert Review of Anticancer Therapy, 2020(issue 4), 279-288. doi:https://doi.org/10.1080/14737140.2020.1745068
• Arshad, J., Roberts, A., Ahmed, J., Cotta, J., Pico, B. A., Kwon, D., & Trent, J. C. (2020). Utility of Circulating Tumor DNA in the Management of Patients With GI Stromal Tumor: Analysis of 243 Patients. JCO precision oncology, 4, 66-73.
  More info

  GI stromal tumor (GIST) is the most common sarcoma of the GI tract. Management of patients with GIST is determined by , , or other genomic alterations. Tissue-based next-generation sequencing (NGS) analysis is the standard approach for diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment selection. However, circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA)-based NGS is a novel and noninvasive alternative.
• Ali, R., Arshad, J., Palacio, S., & Mudad, R. (2019). Brigatinib for -positive metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer: design, development and place in therapy. Drug design, development and therapy, 13, 569-580.
  More info

  Despite the benefits of first and second generation anaplastic lymphoma kinase () inhibitors in the management of -rearranged advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), the development of acquired resistance poses an ongoing dilemma. Brigatinib has demonstrated a wider spectrum of preclinical activity against crizotinib-resistant mutant advanced NSCLC. The current review narrates a brief history of tyrosine kinases, the development and clinical background of brigatinib (including its pharmacology and molecular structure) and its use in -positive NSCLC.
• Palacio, S., Pontes, L., Prado, E., Arshad, J., Ali, R., Piha, T., Bacchi, C. E., Mudad, R., & Lopes, G. (2019). Mutation Testing: Changing Patterns of Molecular Testing in Brazil. The oncologist, 24(4), e137-e141.
  More info

  In Brazil, cancer is the second most common cause of death. Most patients in resource-limited countries are diagnosed in advanced stages. Current guidelines advocate for mutation testing in all patients with metastatic adenocarcinoma. Tyrosine kinase inhibitors are recommended in patients with advanced or metastatic disease harboring sensitizing mutations. In Brazil, there are limited data regarding the frequency of testing and the changes in patterns of testing overtime.
• Onuoha, C., Arshad, J., Astle, J., Xu, M., & Halene, S. (2016). Novel Developments in Leukopenia and Pancytopenia. Primary care, 43(4), 559-573.
  More info

  Cytopenias are not disease entities in and of themselves; rather, they are the expression of various underlying disease processes. Careful attention to details in patients' presentation, careful history and examination, as well as attention to the ancillary parameters of the complete blood count with a peripheral blood smear can point the clinician toward the appropriate workup. Causes of cytopenias can be inherited or acquired; the latter include medication related, autoimmune, or neoplastic causes. Emergencies need to be recognized in a timely fashion and expert consultation obtained.

Presentations

• Arshad, J. (2019, November/Fall). Review of genetic alterations in Sarcoma patients of Hispanic Ethnicity: Analysis of

  167 patients, A single institution experience. Connective Tissue Oncology Society (CTOS). Tokyo, Japan: CTSOS.

• Arshad, J. (2018, November/Fall). Utility of Circulating Tumor DNA in the Management of Patients with GIST: Analysis

  of 184 patients. Connective Tissue Oncology Society (CTOS). Rome, Italy: CTOS.

Poster Presentations

• Arshad, J. (2019, April/Spring). Analysis of Mutations in the primary Mucinous Adenocarcinoma of Lung analysis of

  26 patients. Florida Society of Clinical Oncology (FLASCO). Kissimmee: FLASCO.

• Arshad, J. (2019, October/Fall). Utility of ctDNA in the management of Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors: Analysis of

  243 patients. International Society of Gastroenterology Oncology (ISGO). Nashville, TN: ISGO.

• Arshad, J. (2016, June/Summer). Follicular Lymphoma Presenting as Bilateral Pleural Effusion. Waterbury Research Day. Connecticut: Yale School of Medicine.
• Arshad, J. (2016, June/Summer). Intrahepatic Cholestasis, A severe form of Sickle Cell Hepatopathy. Waterbury Research Day. Connecticut: Yale School of Medicine.
• Arshad, J. (2015, Fall/Winter). Extra nodal NK Cell Lymphoma Nasal Type,. American College of Physicians (ACP). Connecticut: ACP.
• Arshad, J. (2015, May/Spring). Small Bowel Lymphoma in Celiac Disease. Waterbury Research Day. Connecticut: Yale School of Medicine.
• Arshad, J. (2015, October/Fall). An Unusual Case of Upper GI Bleeding. American College of Physicians (ACP). Connecticut: ACP.
• Arshad, J. (2015, October/Fall). Evaluation of patient with Pyoderma Gangrenosum. American College of Physicians (ACP). Connecticut: ACP.
• Arshad, J. (2014, Fall/October). Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy. American College of Physicians (ACP) Connecticut ChapterACP.