Skip to Content

Amado J. Zurita-Saavedra, MD

Present Title & Affiliation

Primary Appointment

Assistant Professor, Department of Genitourinary (GU) Medical Oncology, Division of Cancer Medicine, The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX

Education & Training

Degree-Granting Education

2001 Medical School, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain, Pre Ph.D., Diploma of Advanced Studies (DEA)
1993 University of La Laguna, La Laguna, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain, MD, Licenciado en Medicina y Cirugía

Board Certifications

7/2004 Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG)
4/2000 Spanish Ministry of Health

Experience/Service

Academic Appointments

Clinical Fellow, Department of Genitourinary (GU) Medical Oncology, Division of Cancer Medicine, The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 2/2006-3/2007
Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Genitourinary (GU) Medical Oncology - Research, Division of Cancer Medicine, The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 10/2001-1/2006
Instructor, Catalan Institute of Oncology, Barcelona, Spain, 5/2000-6/2001

Selected Publications

Peer-Reviewed Original Research Articles
1. Mancuso P, Antoniotti P, Quama J, Calleri A, Rabascio C, Tacchetti C, Braidotti P, Wu HK, Zurita AJ, Saronni L, Cheng JB, Shalinsky DR, Heymach JV, Bertolini F. Validation of a standardized method for enumerating circulating endotherlial cells and progenitors: flow cytometry and molecular and ultrastructural analyses. Clin Cancer Res 15(1):267-73, 1/2009. PMID: 19118054.
2. Zurita AJ, Jonasch E, Wu HK, Tran HT, Heymach JV. Circulating biomarkers for vascular endothelial growth factor inhibitors in renal cell carcinoma. Cancer 115((10 Suppl)):2346-54, May 15, 2009. PMID: 19402074.
3. Atkins MB, Bukowski RM, Escudier BJ, Figlin RA, Hudes GH, Kaelin Jr WG, Linehan WM, McDermott DF, Mier JW, Pedrosa I, Rini BI, Signoretti S, Sosman JA, Teh BT, Wood CG, Zurita AJ, King L. Innovations and challenges in renal cancer: summary statement from the Third Cambridge Conference. Cancer 115((10 Suppl)):2247-51, May 15, 2009. PMID: 19402064.
4. Li ZG, Mathew P, Yang J, Starbuck MW, Zurita AJ, Liu J, Sikes C, Multani AS, Efstathiou E, Lopez A, Wang J, Fanning TV, Prieto VG, Kundra V, Vaszquez ES, Troncoso P, Raymond AK, Logothetis CJ, Lin SH, Maity S, Navone NM. Androgen receptor-negative human prostate cancer cells induce osteogenesis in mice through FGF9-mediated mechanisms. J Clin Invest 118(8):2697-710, aug, 8/2008. PMCID: PMC2447924.
5. Chu K, Cheng CJ, Ye X, Lee YC, Zurita AJ, Chen DT, Yu-Lee LY, Zhang S, Yeh ET, Hu MC, Logothetis CJ, Lin SH. Cadherin-11 promotes the metastasis of prostate cancer cells to bone. Mol Cancer Res 6(8):1259-67, Aug, 8/2008. PMCID: PMC2643879.
6. Ozawa MG, Zurita AJ, Dias-Neto E, Nunes DN, Sidman RL, Gelovani JG, Arap W, Pasqualini R. Beyond receptor expression levels: the relevance of target accessibility in ligand-directed pharmacodelivery systems. Trends Cardiovasc Med. 18(4):126-32, amay, 5/2008. PMID: 18555185.
7. Cardo-Vila M, Zurita AJ, Giordano RJ, Sun J, Rangel R, Guzman-Rojas L, Anoborn CD, Valente AP, Almeida FC, Lahdenranta J, Kolonin MG, Arap W, Pasqualini R. A ligand peptide motif selected from a cancer patient is a receptor-interacting site within human interleukin-11. PLoS ONE 3(10):e3452, 2008. e-Pub 10/2008. PMCID: PMC2565473.
8. Kolonin MG, Bover L, Sun J, Zurita AJ, Do KA, Lahdenranta J, Cardó-Vila M, Giordano RJ, Jaalouk DE, Ozawa MG, Moya CA, Souza GR, Staquicini FI, Kunyiasu A, Scudiero DA, Holbeck SL, Sausville EA, Arap W, Pasqualini R. Ligand-directed surface profiling of human cancer cells with combinatorial peptide libraries. Cancer Res 66:34-40, 1/2006.
9. Chen L, Zurita AJ, Ardelt PU, Giordano R, Arap W, Pasqualini R. Design and validation of a bifunctional ligand display system for receptor targeting. Chem Biol 11:1081-91, 8/2004.
10. Zurita AJ, Troncoso P, Cardó-Vila M, Logothetis CJ, Pasqualini R, Arap W. Combinatorial screenings in patients: the interleukin-11 receptor gamma as a candidate target in the progression of human prostate cancer. Cancer Res 64:435-9, 1/2004.
11. Zurita AJ, Arap W, Pasqualini R. Mapping tumor vascular diveristy by screening phage display libraries. J Control Release 91:183-6, 8/2003.
12. Diestra J, Condom E, García del Muro X, Scheffer GL, Pérez J, Zurita AJ, Muñoz-Seguí J, Vigués F, Scheper RJ, Capellà G, Germà-Lluch JR, Izquierdo MA. Expression of multidrug resistance proteins P-glycoprotein, multidrug resistance protein 1, breast cancer resistance protein and lung resistance related protein in locally advanced bladder cancer treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy: biological and clinical implications. J Urol 170:1383-87, 2003.
13. Zurita AJ, Diestra J, Condom E, García Del Muro X, Scheffer GL, Scheper RJ, Perez J, Germà-Lluch JR, Izquierdo MA. Lung Resistance-related Protein as a predictor of clinical outcome in advanced testicular germ-cell tumours. Br J Cancer 88:879-86, 2003.
14. Zurita-Saavedra AJ, Navarro M, Español I, Fernández-Ortega A. UFT-induced haemolytic anaemia. Cancer Chemother Pharmacol 47:280-81, 2001.
15. Salar A, Carratalà J, Zurita AJ, González-Barca E, Grañena A. Bacteremia caused by CDC Group IV C-2 in a patient with acute leukemia. Haematologica 83:670-72, 1998.
16. Capdevila O, Zurita AJ, Domingo E, Corbella X, Alcaide F, Monfort JL, Fernández-Viladrich P. Multiple cranial osteolytic lesions due to Mycobacterium kansasii in a patient with AIDS. Scand J Infect Dis 30:305-06, 1998.

Invited Articles
1. Zurita-Saavedra AJ. Mapping tumor vascular diversity by screening phage display libraries. J Control Release 91(1-2):183-86, 2003.

Abstracts
1. Zurita AJ, Shore ND, Kozloff MF, Ryan CW, Beer TM, Maneval EC, Chen I, Logothetis CJ. A phase I/II study of sunitinib in combination with docetaxel (dcx) and prednisone (pdn) in patients with metastatic castrate-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). ECCO 14; Poster, 9/2007.
2. Zurita AJ, Shore ND, Kozloff MF, Ryan CW, Beer TM, Maneval EC, Chen I, Logothetis CJ. Phase I Study of Sunitinib in combination with Docetaxel and Prednisone in Metastatic Castrate-Resistant Prostate Cancer (CRPC). Department of Defense Prostate Cancer Research Program and Techical Planning Committee for the Innovative Minds in Prostate Cancer Today (IMPaCT); Presentation, 9/2007.
3. Zurita AJ, Shore ND, Kozloff MF, Ryan CW, Beer TW, Chow-Maneval E, Chen I, Logothetis CJ. Distinct patterns of PSA modulation by single-agent sunitinib before combination with docetaxel and prednisone in patients with metastatic castrate-resistant prostate cancer (CRPCa). 43rd Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO); Poster (#5134), 6/2007.
4. Zurita AJ, Shore ND, Kozloff MF, Ryan CW, Beer TW, Chow-Maneval E, Chen I, Logothetis CJ. Phase I study of sunitinib in combination with docetaxel and prednisone in patients (pts) with metastatic hormone refractory prostate cancer (mHRPC). Prostate Cancer Symposium ASCO; Poster, 2/2007.
5. Jaalouk DE, Kuniyasu A, Zurita A, Beran M, Arap W, Pasqualini R. Targeting of cell surface receptors in leukemia with ligand-directed pro-apoptotic peptides. 14th Annual SPORE Investigators’ Workshop, 7/2005.
6. Zurita AJ, Hajitou A, Cardó-Vila M, Troncoso P, Logothetis CJ, Pasqualini R, Arap W. Preclinical development of an interleukin-11 receptor-targeted pro-apoptotic peptide against advanced prostate cancer. 40th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology; Proc ASCO (#3190), 2004.
7. Bover LC, Holbeck S, Scudiero DA, Zurita AJ, Sausville E, Pasqualini R, Arap W. Targeting the NCI 60-cell panel by biopanning and rapid analysis of selective interactive ligands. AACR-NCI-EORTC International Conference, Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics; Poster, 11/2003.
8. Zurita AJ, Troncoso P, Logothetis CJ, Pasqualini R, Arap W. A ligand peptide with potential for targeting prostate cancer metastatic to the bone marrow. 11th SPORE Investigators’ Workshop; Poster, 7/2003.
9. Zurita AJ, Troncoso P, Logothetis CJ, Pasqualini R, Arap W. A ligand peptide with potential for targeting prostate cancer metastatic to the bone marrow. 94th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; Proc AACR 44 (#1659), 7/2003.
10. Zurita AJ, Troncoso P, Logothetis CJ, Pasqualini R, Arap W. A ligand peptide with potential for targeting prostate cancer metastatic to the bone marrow. 94th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; Proc AACR 2003, 44 (1st ed.) (#1659), 7/2003.
11. Gil M, Majem M, Mora J, Perez J, Ponce J, Izquierdo MA, Zurita A, Germà JR. Radioimmunoscintigraphy with indium-111-labeled monoclonal antibody b72.3 in epithelial ovarian cancer. European Cancer Conference (ECCO 12); Eur J Cancer Sppls 1(5):S310, 2003.

Book Chapters
1. Zurita AJ, Arap W, Pasqualini R. Molecular characterization of the endothelium: a phage display perspective. In: The Endothelium: A Comprehensive Reference. Cambridge University Press. In Press.
2. Zurita AJ, Ward JF, Kim J. In: Targeted therapy in prostate cancer. The Humana Press, USA, 289-304, 2008.
3. Zurita AJ, Wu HK, Heymach JV. Blood-based biomarkers for VEGF inhibitors. In: Antiangiogenic cancer therapy. Ed(s) DW Davis, RS Herbst, JL Abbruzzese. Taylor and Francis Group, LLC Authors, 517-31, 2007.

Grant & Contract Support

Title: Role of OB-Cadherin in Prostate Cancer Bone Metastasis
Funding Source: American Society of Clinical Oncology
Role: Principal Investigator
Duration: 7/1/2007 - 3/31/2009
 
Title: Osteoblast Cadherin (OB-Cadherin) for the Prediction and Prevention of Bone Metastasis
Funding Source: Prostate Cancer Foundation
Role: Co-Investigator
Principal Investigator: Sue-Hwa Lin
Duration: 5/1/2007 - 4/30/2008
 
Title: Developing Osteoblast Cadherin (Ob-Cadherin) as a biomarker and therapeutic target in prostate cancer bone metastasis
Funding Source: NIH/NCRR
Role: K12 Scholar
Principal Investigator: Frank Arnett
Duration: 8/30/2006 - 6/30/2011

Last updated: 6/17/2009