Hoosier Cancer Research Network highlights Russell Pachynski, MD, genitourinary medical oncologist and associate professor of Medicine, Division of Medical Oncology, at Washington University School of Medicine.

Educational Background

Dr. Pachynski attended Stanford University for his undergraduate education and earned a Bachelor of Science in Biology, then attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison to complete medical school. Following medical school, Dr. Pachynski was the Howard Hughes Scholar at the Surgery Branch/NCI and then returned to Stanford University to complete his residency/oncology fellowship.

Research Interests

Clinically Dr. Pachynski sees all GU cancers, but focuses on prostate and prostate cancer immunotherapy. His lab studies leukocyte trafficking in the context of preclinical models of prostate and other cancers. They have identified the innate leukocyte chemoattractant chemerin as a novel tumor suppressor, and have shown this can significantly suppress prostate and other tumor growth by recruiting effector immune cells into the tumor microenvironment. Clinically, they have recently completed the first trial of neoantigen vaccines in metastatic prostate cancer patients in combination with dual checkpoint blockade. Ongoing studies include cabozantinib + nivolumab in patients with metastatic castration-sensitive prostate cancer and a neoadjuvant ibrutinib study in localized prostate cancer. On the translational front, along with Aadel Chaudhuri and Chris Maher, they have developed a ctDNA-based biomarker for metastatic prostate cancer patients that shows increased sensitivity and specificity when compared to the clinically available CTC AR-V7 test.

Three interesting facts:

1. I’m a Mexi-Pol (Mex-Am/Polish), but sadly my Spanish is awful.
2. I grew up playing trombone, and now play with a band of cancer immunotherapists (The CheckPoints)
3. Grew up cycling and lived in Plano, TX; likely rode in races with Lance Armstrong, but our lives clearly took different paths. 😉