Andrew M. Blakely, M.D.
- Center for Cancer Research
- National Cancer Institute
- Building 10, Room 4-3760
- Bethesda, MD 20892
- 240-858-3610
- andrew.blakely@nih.gov
RESEARCH SUMMARY
Dr. Blakely is a surgical oncologist specializing in peritoneal surface malignancies and soft tissue sarcomas. Primary focuses of his research include:
1) Characterizing differences in gastrointestinal stromal tumors among and within patients.
2) Characterizing differences in peritoneal mesothelioma among and within patients.
3) Evaluating treatment effects of standard chemotherapy and immunotherapy strategies.
4) Exploring and validating fluorescent imaging to guide oncologic surgery.
Areas of Expertise
Information for Patients
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Andrew M. Blakely, M.D.
Clinical Trials
Research
Peritoneal malignancies may arise from various organs, including but not limited to the colon, appendix, stomach, ovary, or adrenal gland. However, peritoneal tumor deposits tend to be relatively resistant to traditional intravenous systemic chemotherapy regimens that are otherwise effective for disease involving other sites, such as the liver or lungs. Administration of intraperitoneal chemotherapy allows much higher chemotherapeutic drug levels to be achieved in the peritoneal cavity, with far less systemic absorption and toxicity than if given intravenously at the same dose. However, intraperitoneal chemotherapy is only effective after cytoreductive surgery, where all disease >2.5 mm has been completely removed or ablated. Unfortunately, many patients with peritoneal carcinomatosis have high burdens of disease, which may preclude optimal cytoreduction or lead to such debilitation that extensive surgical resection would not be tolerated by the patient.
Dr. Blakely’s research primarily focuses on developing treatment strategies that bring the potential benefits of pre-operative therapy to patients with peritoneal surface malignancies. Neoadjuvant intraperitoneal chemotherapy administration may reduce peritoneal surface disease burden, which in turn facilitates or even obviates subsequent cytoreductive surgery. In addition, for patients experiencing symptomatic malignant ascites, intraperitoneal chemotherapy alone can effectively palliate unresectable patients.
Publications
Bio-Pick, Place, and Perfuse: A New Instrument for 3D Tissue Engineering
A Collaborative Surgical Approach to Upper and Lower Abdominal Cytoreductive Surgery in Ovarian Cancer
Role of Immune Microenvironment in Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors
American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program as a Quality-Measurement Tool for Advanced Cancer Patients
Elevated C-Reactive Protein as a Predictor of Patient Outcomes Following Palliative Surgery
Biography
Andrew M. Blakely, M.D.
Dr. Blakely completed a Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Engineering followed by medical school at Drexel University. He went on to general surgery residency at Brown University. During residency, he spent two years of dedicated research time at the Center for Biomedical Engineering developing a device for tissue engineering applications. That work then led to a National Science Foundation grant and a patent. Dr. Blakely then completed his fellowship in Complex General Surgical Oncology at City of Hope National Medical Center.