Dr. Robert H. Wilkins and Gloria Wilkins Professor of Neurosurgery
Departments / Divisions
Address
DUMC 3050
220 Sands Building, 303 Research Drive
Durham, NC 27710
Appointment Telephone
866-4YOURBRAIN (866-496-8727), 919-684-9041
Office Telephone
919-684-9041
Fax Telephone
919-684-9045
Clinical Interests
Newly diagnosed or recurrent primary or metastic brain tumors, including enrollment in clinical trials of new therapeutic agents (especially oncolytic poliovirus therapy, immunotherapy, vaccines and convection-enhanced delivery); posterior fossa tumors, such as acoustic neuromas or meningiomas; microsurgery for tic douloureux or trigeminal neuralgia, including microvascular decompression; microvascular decompression for hemifacial spasm, pituitary tumors, complex skull-base tumors; radiosurgery; evaluation and surgery for patients with the full spectrum of other neurosurgery pathologies
Research Interests
Current research activities involve the immunotherapeutic targeting of a tumor-specific mutation in the epidermal growth factor receptor. Approaches used to target this tumor-specific epitope include unarmed and radiolabeled antibody therapy and cell mediated approaches using peptide vaccines and dendritic cells. Another area of interest involves drug delivery to brain tumors. Translational and clinical work is carried out in this area to formulate the relationship between various direct intratumoral infusion parameters and drug distribution within brain tumors and normal brain.
This laboratory has an emphasis on translational research in Neuro-Oncology. There are two main areas of study. The first is novel mechanisms of delivery of large molecular weight molecules, such as monoclonal antibodies, throughout brain intersitial space using novel intracerebral infusion techniques developed by this laboratory. Studies exploring this technology are undertaken in both small and large laboratory animals and patients with brain tumors.
The other focus of the laboratory is translational immunotherapy. In this line of work dendritic cell vaccination strategies and adoptive T-cell strategies have been developed to target novel and well-characterized tumor specific antigens in patients with brain tumors. This laboratory integrates well with and works closely with The Brain Tumor Center at Duke. This laboratory is well funded and currently holds seven NIH grants. There are a large number of investigators at various levels so that students will get exposure to various levels of research and mentorship.
This faculty member (or a member of their immediate family) has a working relationship (i.e. consulting, research, and/or educational services) with the companies listed below. These relations have been reported to the health system leadership and, when appropriate, management plans are in place to address potential conflicts.
Representative Publications
Asaoka, K; Barrs, DM; Sampson, JH; McElveen, JT; Tucci, DL; Fukushima, T. Intracanalicular meningioma mimicking vestibular schwannoma. American Journal of Neuroradiology. 2002;23:1493-1496.
(2002)
Abstract
Heimberger, AB; Archer, GE; Crotty, LE; McLendon, RE; Friedman, AH; Friedman, HS; Bigner, DD; Sampson, JH. Dendritic cells pulsed with a tumor-specific peptide induce long-lasting immunity and are effective against murine intracerebral melanoma. Neurosurgery. 2002;50:158-164.
(2002)
Abstract
Heimberger, AB; Learn, CA; Archer, GE; McLendon, RE; Chewning, TA; Tuck, FL; Pracyk, JB; Friedman, AH; Friedman, HS; Bigner, DD; Sampson, JH. Brain tumors in mice are susceptible to blockade of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) with the oral, specific, EGFR-tyrosine kinase inhibitor ZD1839 (iressa). Clinical Cancer Research. 2002;8:3496-3502.
(2002)
Abstract
Lal, A; Glazer, CA; Martinson, HM; Friedman, HS; Archer, GE; Sampson, JH; Riggins, GJ. Mutant epidermal growth factor receptor up-regulates molecular effectors of tumor invasion. Cancer Research. 2002;62:3335-3339.
(2002)
Abstract
Quinn, JA; Pluda, J; Dolan, ME; Delaney, S; Kaplan, R; Rich, JN; Friedman, AH; Reardon, DA; Sampson, JH; Colvin, OM; Haglund, MM; Pegg, AE; Moschel, RC; McLendon, RE; Provenzale, JM; Gururangan, S; Tourt-Uhlig, S; Herndon, JE; Bigner, DD; Friedman, HS. Phase II trial of carmustine plus O(6)-benzylguanine for patients with nitrosourea-resistant recurrent or progressive malignant glioma. Journal of Clinical Oncology. 2002;20:2277-2283.
(2002)
Abstract
Reardon, DA; Akabani, G; Coleman, RE; Friedman, AH; Friedman, HS; Herndon, JE; Cokgor, I; McLendon, RE; Pegram, CN; Provenzale, JM; Quinn, JA; Rich, JN; Regalado, LV; Sampson, JH; Shafman, TD; Wikstrand, CJ; Wong, TZ; Zhao, XG; Zalutsky, MR; Bigner, DD. Phase II trial of murine (131)I-labeled antitenascin monoclonal antibody 81C6 administered into surgically created resection cavities of patients with newly diagnosed malignant gliomas. Journal of Clinical Oncology. 2002;20:1389-1397.
(2002)
Abstract
Wikstrand, CJ; Cole, VR; Crotty, LE; Sampson, JH; Bigner, DD. Generation of anti-idiotypic reagents in the EGFRvIII tumor-associated antigen system. Cancer Immunology Immunotherapy. 2002;50:639-652.
(2002)
Abstract
Sampson, JH; Archer, GE; Villavicencio, AT; McLendon, RE; Friedman, AH; Bishop, WR; Bigner, DD; Friedman, HS. Treatment of neoplastic meningitis with intrathecal temozolomide. Clinical Cancer Research. 1999;5:1183-1188.
(1999)
Abstract
Sampson, JH; Carter, JH; Friedman, AH; Seigler, HF. Demographics, prognosis, and therapy in 702 patients with brain metastases from malignant melanoma. Journal of Neurosurgery. 1998;88:11-20.
(1998)
Abstract
Sampson, JH; Archer, GE; Ashley, DM; Fuchs, HE; Hale, LP; Dranoff, G; Bigner, DD. Subcutaneous vaccination with irradiated, cytokine-producing tumor cells stimulates CD8+ cell-mediated immunity against tumors located in the "immunologically privileged" central nervous system. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of USA. 1996;93:10399-10404.
(1996)
Abstract
