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Faculty

Olatunji Alese

MD
Professor and Director of GI Oncology
Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University

Dr. Olatunji Alese serves as Professor and Director of Gastrointestinal Oncology in the Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Emory University, Atlanta. He is also Team Lead for GI Cancer Research at the Winship Cancer Institute. He received his MD from University of Ibadan, Nigeria in May 2000. He then underwent residency training at both University College Hospital in Nigeria, and New York Medical College - Metropolitan Hospital Center. He subsequently completed fellowship training in hematology/medical oncology at Emory University. His numerous awards include the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) International Development and Education Award (IDEA); ECOG Foundation/Paul Carbone MD Fellowship award; German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) award; UICC ICRETT Fellowship; ASCO Merit award, Emory University James Eckman Teaching Award and Robert Winn Career Development Award. He has served on the NIH/NCI and DoD study sections, the Advisory Group of ASCO International Affairs Committee and as Chair of the 2023 ASCO Annual Education Committee – Colorectal track. He is a member of numerous national/international professional societies, including the Association of UICC Fellows. A fellow of ASCO (FASCO), he has co-authored over 125 peer-reviewed journal publications and more than 140 abstract conference proceedings. His research focuses on GI malignancies and developmental therapeutics.

2026 Sessions

Yes

Faculty will review emerging clinical and translational data targeting KRAS and related pathways, including efficacy signals, resistance mechanisms, and safety considerations, in the treatment of pancreatic cancer. They will discuss patient selection, biomarker testing, and how these agents may integrate with existing treatment regimens, providing perspective on the readiness of RAS inhibitors to move from investigational use to routine clinical application.

This session will cover emerging clinical trial data demonstrating meaningful activity of KRAS- and RAS-targeted agents in biomarker-selected populations. The speaker will address advances in drug development, safety profiles, and integration with existing chemotherapy backbones. Participants will gain insight into how RAS inhibitors may be incorporated into routine management of pancreatic cancer.

Debate Speaker

Sunday, September 27 1:30–1:50 PM
Gastrointestinal Cancers
Faculty

Olatunji Alese

MD
Professor and Director of GI Oncology
Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University

Dr. Olatunji Alese serves as Professor and Director of Gastrointestinal Oncology in the Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Emory University, Atlanta. He is also Team Lead for GI Cancer Research at the Winship Cancer Institute. He received his MD from University of Ibadan, Nigeria in May 2000. He then underwent residency training at both University College Hospital in Nigeria, and New York Medical College - Metropolitan Hospital Center. He subsequently completed fellowship training in hematology/medical oncology at Emory University. His numerous awards include the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) International Development and Education Award (IDEA); ECOG Foundation/Paul Carbone MD Fellowship award; German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) award; UICC ICRETT Fellowship; ASCO Merit award, Emory University James Eckman Teaching Award and Robert Winn Career Development Award. He has served on the NIH/NCI and DoD study sections, the Advisory Group of ASCO International Affairs Committee and as Chair of the 2023 ASCO Annual Education Committee – Colorectal track. He is a member of numerous national/international professional societies, including the Association of UICC Fellows. A fellow of ASCO (FASCO), he has co-authored over 125 peer-reviewed journal publications and more than 140 abstract conference proceedings. His research focuses on GI malignancies and developmental therapeutics.
General Session

Are RAS Inhibitors Ready for Prime Time Use as a Standard of Care in Pancreatic Cancer?: Yes vs No

Faculty will review emerging clinical and translational data targeting KRAS and related pathways, including efficacy signals, resistance mechanisms, and safety considerations, in...

  • Moderator
    • Cathy Eng, MD, FACP, FASCO
    • Yelena Janjigian, MD
  • Presenter
    • Olatunji Alese, MD
    • Efrat Dotan, MD
Gastrointestinal Cancers

Yes

Faculty will review emerging clinical and translational data targeting KRAS and related pathways, including efficacy signals, resistance mechanisms, and safety considerations, in the treatment of pancreatic cancer. They will discuss patient selection, biomarker testing, and how these agents may integrate with existing treatment regimens, providing perspective on the readiness of RAS inhibitors to move from investigational use to routine clinical application.

This session will cover emerging clinical trial data demonstrating meaningful activity of KRAS- and RAS-targeted agents in biomarker-selected populations. The speaker will address advances in drug development, safety profiles, and integration with existing chemotherapy backbones. Participants will gain insight into how RAS inhibitors may be incorporated into routine management of pancreatic cancer.

Debate Speaker

Sunday, September 27 1:30–1:50 PM
Gastrointestinal Cancers
Faculty

Olatunji Alese

MD
Professor and Director of GI Oncology
Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University

Dr. Olatunji Alese serves as Professor and Director of Gastrointestinal Oncology in the Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Emory University, Atlanta. He is also Team Lead for GI Cancer Research at the Winship Cancer Institute. He received his MD from University of Ibadan, Nigeria in May 2000. He then underwent residency training at both University College Hospital in Nigeria, and New York Medical College - Metropolitan Hospital Center. He subsequently completed fellowship training in hematology/medical oncology at Emory University. His numerous awards include the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) International Development and Education Award (IDEA); ECOG Foundation/Paul Carbone MD Fellowship award; German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) award; UICC ICRETT Fellowship; ASCO Merit award, Emory University James Eckman Teaching Award and Robert Winn Career Development Award. He has served on the NIH/NCI and DoD study sections, the Advisory Group of ASCO International Affairs Committee and as Chair of the 2023 ASCO Annual Education Committee – Colorectal track. He is a member of numerous national/international professional societies, including the Association of UICC Fellows. A fellow of ASCO (FASCO), he has co-authored over 125 peer-reviewed journal publications and more than 140 abstract conference proceedings. His research focuses on GI malignancies and developmental therapeutics.

No

Faculty will review emerging clinical and translational data targeting KRAS and related pathways, including efficacy signals, resistance mechanisms, and safety considerations, in the treatment of pancreatic cancer. They will discuss patient selection, biomarker testing, and how these agents may integrate with existing treatment regimens, providing perspective on the readiness of RAS inhibitors to move from investigational use to routine clinical application.

Modest efficacy signals, narrow biomarker applicability, and emerging resistance mechanisms represent real concerns in the discussion of RAS inhibitor use in pancreatic cancer. Faculty will discuss safety concerns, durability of response, and unanswered questions regarding optimal sequencing and combinations to inform learners on why RAS inhibitors remain best positioned within clinical trials rather than routine practice at this time.

Debate Speaker

Sunday, September 27 1:50–2:10 PM
Gastrointestinal Cancers
Faculty

Efrat Dotan

MD
Medical Director, Penn Medicine, Ann B. Barshinger Cancer Center, Professor of Medicine.
Penn Medicine

Efrat Dotan, MD, is a Clinical Professor of Medicine at University of Pennsylvania and Executive Medical Director of the Penn Medicine, Ann B. Barshinger Cancer Center, Lancaster Pennsylvania.
Dr. Dotan specializes in the management of patients with gastrointestinal malignancies with a focus on the care of older patients with GI cancers. Her research focuses on clinical trials investigating new treatment approaches for GI malignancies specifically pancreatic cancer, with extensive involvement in development and conduct of clinical trials with novel agents. She is also involved in the development of tools to improve the assessment and care of older adults with cancer, as well as investigating novel treatment approaches for this patient population.

Dr. Dotan serves as the Co-Chair of the NCI Pancreatic Task Force representing the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG). Within ECOG she is a member of the Gastrointestinal Malignancies Committee serving as the PI for a national elderly specific pancreatic cancer study (EA2186). She is also the chair and founder of the ECOG Geriatric Oncology Working Group. In addition, Dr. Dotan chairs of the NCCN Older Adult Oncology Panel, and senior member of the Cancer and Aging Research Group.
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