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Faculty

David Aggen

MD, PhD
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center

David H. Aggen, MD, PhD, is a medical oncologist and assistant attending physician at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, focusing on defining adaptive immune resistance mechanisms and developing novel immunotherapy modalities in bladder cancer. He completed an MD and PhD at the University of Illinois College of Medicine, where he studied the molecular basis of T cell recognition in response to cancer and developed TCR based T cell therapies for cancer cell therapies. Dr. Aggen joined the faculty at MSKCC as an Assistant Attending Physician on the genitourinary oncology service in 2019, where his primary research focus is on bladder cancer. He is the principal investigator for an investigator-initiated trial evaluating enfortumab vedotin and pembrolizumab before radical cystectomy for patients with lymph node-positive bladder cancer (EV-ECLIPSE trial). His translational research focus is understanding the immunogenic effects of antibody drug-conjugates (ADCs), understanding ADC target expression in urothelial cancer, and developing next-generation treatments for ADC-resistant bladder cancers. At MSK, he has received funding from an ASCO Career Development Award, a DoD career-development award, and from Equinox Cycle-4-Survival to define mechanisms of response and resistance to ADC therapy and design next-generation immunotherapies to treat bladder cancer. He is also the MSK site principal investigator for perioperative and adjuvant immunotherapy trials for high-risk bladder cancer.

2026 Sessions

General Session

Optimizing Immunotherapy Strategies in Muscle-Invasive Bladder Cancer: Neoadjuvant IO-Containing Systemic Therapy vs Risk-Adapted Adjuvant IO

Explore the optimization of immunotherapy in muscle-invasive bladder cancer by examining emerging clinical trial data, pathologic response rates, and survival outcomes associated...

  • Moderator
    • Matt Galsky, MD
  • Presenter
    • David Aggen, MD, PhD
    • Rohit Jain, MD
Genitourinary Cancers

Neoadjuvant IO-Containing Systemic Therapy

Explore the optimization of immunotherapy in muscle-invasive bladder cancer by examining emerging clinical trial data, pathologic response rates, and survival outcomes associated with each strategy. Discussion will address patient selection, timing of immunotherapy, and integration with surgery and systemic treatment. Speakers will provide expert perspectives on applying these evolving strategies in clinical practice.

This session will focus on the benefits of neoadjuvant IO-containing systemic therapy in patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer. Faculty will review clinical trial data demonstrating pathologic response rates, early survival signals, and potential downstaging benefits prior to cystectomy. Participants will learn how neoadjuvant IO-based approaches may improve outcomes.

Debate Speaker

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

Rohit Jain

MD
Associate Professor Of Medicine
Weill Cornell Medicine

I am a board-certified medical oncologist with training and experience in Genitourinary Oncology. I am actively involved in diagnosis, treatment, and care of patients with urothelial carcinoma, renal cell carcinoma and prostate cancer. I also have a strong background in new drug development and designing clinical trials. My focus is in developing clinical trials, translational research and develop prognostic and predictive models in urothelial carcinoma assessing response to novel targeted therapy and immunotherapy regimens. I have been the principal investigator of multiple trials, including investigator-initiated, investigating safety and efficacy of different immune check point inhibitor combinations, targeted therapies, and new investigational compounds.

Risk-Adapted Adjuvant IO

Explore the optimization of immunotherapy in muscle-invasive bladder cancer by examining emerging clinical trial data, pathologic response rates, and survival outcomes associated with each strategy. Discussion will address patient selection, timing of immunotherapy, and integration with surgery and systemic treatment. Speakers will provide expert perspectives on applying these evolving strategies in clinical practice.

Examine the benefits of risk-adapted adjuvant IO therapy in patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer. Faculty will review evidence supporting adjuvant IO for patients at high risk of recurrence following definitive local therapy, addressing biomarker and pathologic features used to guide risk stratification, as well as safety and duration of therapy. Explore how tailoring adjuvant immunotherapy based on individual risk can optimize outcomes in muscle-invasive bladder cancer.

Debate Speaker

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

David Aggen

MD, PhD
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center

David H. Aggen, MD, PhD, is a medical oncologist and assistant attending physician at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, focusing on defining adaptive immune resistance mechanisms and developing novel immunotherapy modalities in bladder cancer. He completed an MD and PhD at the University of Illinois College of Medicine, where he studied the molecular basis of T cell recognition in response to cancer and developed TCR based T cell therapies for cancer cell therapies. Dr. Aggen joined the faculty at MSKCC as an Assistant Attending Physician on the genitourinary oncology service in 2019, where his primary research focus is on bladder cancer. He is the principal investigator for an investigator-initiated trial evaluating enfortumab vedotin and pembrolizumab before radical cystectomy for patients with lymph node-positive bladder cancer (EV-ECLIPSE trial). His translational research focus is understanding the immunogenic effects of antibody drug-conjugates (ADCs), understanding ADC target expression in urothelial cancer, and developing next-generation treatments for ADC-resistant bladder cancers. At MSK, he has received funding from an ASCO Career Development Award, a DoD career-development award, and from Equinox Cycle-4-Survival to define mechanisms of response and resistance to ADC therapy and design next-generation immunotherapies to treat bladder cancer. He is also the MSK site principal investigator for perioperative and adjuvant immunotherapy trials for high-risk bladder cancer.

Risk-Adapted Adjuvant IO

Explore the optimization of immunotherapy in muscle-invasive bladder cancer by examining emerging clinical trial data, pathologic response rates, and survival outcomes associated with each strategy. Discussion will address patient selection, timing of immunotherapy, and integration with surgery and systemic treatment. Speakers will provide expert perspectives on applying these evolving strategies in clinical practice.

Examine the benefits of risk-adapted adjuvant IO therapy in patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer. Faculty will review evidence supporting adjuvant IO for patients at high risk of recurrence following definitive local therapy, addressing biomarker and pathologic features used to guide risk stratification, as well as safety and duration of therapy. Explore how tailoring adjuvant immunotherapy based on individual risk can optimize outcomes in muscle-invasive bladder cancer.

Debate Speaker

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

David Aggen

MD, PhD
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center

David H. Aggen, MD, PhD, is a medical oncologist and assistant attending physician at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, focusing on defining adaptive immune resistance mechanisms and developing novel immunotherapy modalities in bladder cancer. He completed an MD and PhD at the University of Illinois College of Medicine, where he studied the molecular basis of T cell recognition in response to cancer and developed TCR based T cell therapies for cancer cell therapies. Dr. Aggen joined the faculty at MSKCC as an Assistant Attending Physician on the genitourinary oncology service in 2019, where his primary research focus is on bladder cancer. He is the principal investigator for an investigator-initiated trial evaluating enfortumab vedotin and pembrolizumab before radical cystectomy for patients with lymph node-positive bladder cancer (EV-ECLIPSE trial). His translational research focus is understanding the immunogenic effects of antibody drug-conjugates (ADCs), understanding ADC target expression in urothelial cancer, and developing next-generation treatments for ADC-resistant bladder cancers. At MSK, he has received funding from an ASCO Career Development Award, a DoD career-development award, and from Equinox Cycle-4-Survival to define mechanisms of response and resistance to ADC therapy and design next-generation immunotherapies to treat bladder cancer. He is also the MSK site principal investigator for perioperative and adjuvant immunotherapy trials for high-risk bladder cancer.
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