The Malafa lab is dedicated to studying chemoprevention strategies for gastrointestinal cancers, as well as disparities in gastrointestinal outcomes with a focus on pancreatic and colorectal cancers.

The development of chemoprevention agents for GI cancers is an area of intense investigation and considerable promise. Because bioactive micronutrients have been shown to play a prominent role against tumor initiation and progression, they have become leading chemoprevention agents for a broad spectrum of human malignancies. Our long-term goal is to improve the outcome and survival of patients by integrating an effective bioactive micronutrient, such as vitamin E δ-tocotrienol (VEDT), into the current treatment paradigm of patients at risk of developing pancreatic or colorectal cancers. Our central hypothesis is that supplementation with VEDT will reduce the risk of tumor development and/or relapse for a defined subpopulation of GI cancer patients that are dependent on oncogenic signaling targeted by VEDT.  Our current studies are focused on patients with preneoplastic cystic lesions in the pancreas called Intraductal Papillary Mucinous Neoplasm (IPMN).  We are conducting studies to understand mechanisms of IPMN progression, effect and mechanism(s) of VEDT on IPMN progression, which has been translated to an NCI-sponsored Phase II prospective randomized double-blind study (NCT #06519097). 

Disparities in GI cancer outcomes contribute to the high burden of GI cancers to cancer mortality globally.  Our group is interested in studying the role of ancestry in GI cancer pathogenesis and outcomes with the aim of identifying novel strategies to prevent and treat GI cancers in at-risk populations.

Help Prevent and Reduce Disparities in Pancreatic & Colorectal Cancers