February is Bile Duct and Gallbladder Cancer Awareness Month! Check out our interview with trainee Yifan Wang to learn about her ongoing biliary tract cancer research and the COMPASS-B clinical trial!
Name: Yifan Wang, MD
Lab: Dr. George Zogopoulos
Year: 5th year general surgery resident and PhD Candidate
Yifan Wang obtained her medical degree from Ï㽶ÊÓƵ. She subsequently pursued general surgery residency at Ï㽶ÊÓƵ, during which time she enrolled in the Surgeon-Scientist Program. Her doctoral thesis focused on evaluating precision health strategies for early detection and treatment of hereditary and familial pancreatic cancer. She will be pursuing fellowship training in hepato-pancreatico-biliary surgical oncology at MD Anderson Cancer Center.
Comprehensive Molecular Profiling of Advanced Biliary Tract Cancers for Better Treatment Selection (COMPASS-B-MUHC) is a prospective molecular profiling trial for patients with advanced biliary tract cancers. Patients enrolled in the study undergo a biopsy before the start of their treatment to molecularly profile their tumour (whole genome and whole transcriptome sequencing). These molecular profiling results are returned to the patients and their oncologists to guide precision therapy treatment decisions. In addition to real-time clinical impacts, the genomic and transcriptomic data as well as longitudinal liquid biopsy biospecimens will be used for discovery studies to improve our understanding of the development and progression of biliary tract cancers.
How to participate
This trial is open to patients with advanced biliary tract cancers (cholangiocarcinoma or gallbladder cancer) who have not yet started treatment and who intend on receiving their cancer treatment (including chemotherapy) at the Ï㽶ÊÓƵ Health Centre. ClinicalTrials.gov ID:
For patients receiving cancer treatment at another hospital, they may be eligible for tumour profiling (whole genome and whole transcriptome sequencing) through one of our Marathon of Hope Cancer Centres Network () projects. To participate, please contact the study team via the links above.
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