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Luka Milas, M.D., Ph.D.

Present Title & Affiliation

Primary Appointment

Professor, Department of Experimental Radiation Oncology, Division of Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX

Research Interests

The objective of my research is to develop and test new approaches and strategies with potential to increase therapeutic efficacy of radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy.    Improved local-regional control and survival rates have been obtained in a number of common cancers in man, primarily after concurrent chemo-radiotherapy, but often at the expense of increased morbidity.   This clinical experience underscores the need for new strategies to further improve the therapeutic ratio. Several potential strategies targeting pathways critical for malignant phenotypes shown to be associated with tumor resistance to therapy are under investigation (referred to as molecular targeting).  My research has primarily investigated therapeutic potential of targeting epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), COX-2 enzyme, cyclins and associated cdks, and Toll-like receptor 9.

Education & Training

Degree-Granting Education

1966 University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia, PHD, Physiology
1965 University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia, MS, Transplantation Immunology
1963 University of Zagreb Medical Faculty, Zagreb, Croatia, MD, Medicine

Postgraduate Training

1982-1985 Clinical Residency, Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
1/1967-1/1969 Project Investigator, Section of Experimental Radiotherapy, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX

Experience/Service

Academic Appointments

Professor, Department of Radiation Oncology, The United Energy Resources, Inc., Professor of Cancer Research, The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 1/1986-2009
Professor, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Houston, TX, 1/1980-2009
Professor and Chair, Department of Experimental Radiation Oncology, Division of Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 1/1980-2002
Associate Immunologist and Associate Professor, Experimental Radiotherapy, Division of Radiation Oncology, UT M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 1/1974-1/1975
Project Investigator, Department of Experimental Radiotherapy, Division of Radiation Oncology, UT M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 1/1972-1/1974
Assistant Professor, Department of Immunology, Laboratory for Tumor and Transplantation Immunology, Institute Rudjer Boskovic, Zagreb, Croatia, 1/1971-1/1972
Research Associate, Department of Immunology, Laboratory for Tumor and Transplantation Immunology, Institute Rudjer Boskovic, Zagreb, Croatia, 1/1969-1/1971
Project Investigator, Department of Experimental Radiation Oncology, Division of Radiation Oncology, UT M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 1967-1969
Research Associate, Department of Immunology, Institute Rudjer Boskovic, Zagreb, Croatia, 1/1965-1/1967

Other Appointments/Responsibilities

Distinguished Senior Lecturer, The University of Texas Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Houston, TX, 3/2009-present

Honors and Awards

2007-2008 President, The Gilbert Fletcher Society
2007 Gilbert H. Fletcher Society Gold Medal Award, Gilbert H. Fletcher Society
2006 The ASTRO Fellow (FASTRO) Award, ASTRO
2004-2005 President-Elect, Gilbert Fletcher Society
2004 Gold Medal Award, The American Society of Radiology and Oncology (ASTRO)
2000 Educator of the Month, M. D. Anderson Cancer Center
1997-2010 Member of Croatian Academy of Science and Art, Croatian Academy of Science and Art
1995-present Visiting Professor, University of Zagreb Medical School, Zagreb, Croatia
1995 Teaching Excellence Award, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Houston, Texas
1993-1996 Honorary Professor, Department of Radiotherapy, Shanghai Medical University, Shanghai, China
1989 Teaching Excellence Award, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Houston, Texas
1983 Miles Fellowship Scholar Award

Selected Publications

Peer-Reviewed Original Research Articles
1. Hittelman WN, Liao Y, Wang L, Milas L. Are Cancer Stem Cells Radioresistant? Future Oncology 6(10):1563-1576, 2010.
2. Riesterer O, Mason KA, Raju U, Yang Q, Wang L, Hittelman WN, Ang KK, Milas L. Enhanced response to C225 of A431 tumor xenografts growing in irradiated tumor bed. Radiother Oncol 92(3):383-7, 9/2009. e-Pub 8/18/2009. PMID: 19695723.
3. Meyn RE, Munshi A, Haymach JV, Milas L, Ang KK. Receptor signaling as a regulatory mechanism of DNA repair. Radiother Oncol 02(3):317-322, 9/2009. e-Pub 7/15/2009. PMCID: PMC2754282.
4. Woodward WA, Bristow RG, Clarke MF, Coppes RP, Cristofanilli M, Duda DG, Fike JR, Hambardzumyan D, Hill RP, Jordan CT, Milas L, Pajonk F, Curran WJ, Dicker AP, Chen Y. Radiation Therapy Oncology Group translational research program stem cell symposium: incorporating stem cell hypotheses into clinical trials. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 74(5):1580-91, 8/1/2009. e-Pub 6/17/2009. PMID: 19540073.
5. Yuan X, Liao Z, Liu Z, Wang LE, Tucker SL, Mao L, Wang XS, Martel M, Komaki R, Cox JD, Milas L, Wei Q. Single Nucleotide Polymorphism at rs1982073:T869C of the TGF{beta}1 Gene Is Associated With the Risk of Radiation Pneumonitis in Patients With Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer Treated With Definitive Radiotherapy. J Clin Oncol 27(20):3370-3378, 2009. PMID: 19380441.
6. Dittmann KH, Mayer C, Ohneseit PA, Raju U, Andratschke NH, Milas L, Rodemann HP. Celecoxib induced tumor cell radiosensitization by inhibiting radiation induced nuclear EGFR transport and DNA-repair: A COX-2 independent mechanism. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 70(1):203-212, 2008.
7. Shibuya K, Komaki R, Shintani T, Itasaka S, Ryan A, Jürgensmeier JM, Milas L, Ang K, Herbst RS, O'Reilly MS. Targeted therapy against VEGFR and EGFR with ZD6474 enhances the therapeutic efficacy of irradiation in an orthotopic model of human non-small cell lung cancer. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 69(5):1534-43, 7/2007.
8. Wiedenmann N, Koto M, Raju U, Milas L, Mason KA. Modulation of tumor radiation response with G3139, a bcl-2 antisense oligonucleotide. Invest New Drugs 25(5):411-416, 5/2007. PMID: 17492397.
9. Wiedenmann N, Valdecanas D, Hunter N, Hyde S, Buchholz TA, Milas L, Mason KA. 130-nm albumin-bound paclitaxel enhances tumor radiocurability and therapeutic gain. Clin Cancer Res 13(6):1868-74, 3/2007. PMID: 17363543.
10. Itasaka S, Komaki R, Herbst RS, Shibuya K, Shintani T, Hunter NR, Onn A, Bucana CD, Milas L, Ang KK, O'Reilly MS. Endostatin improves radioresponse and blocks tumor revascularization after radiation therapy for A431 xenografts in mice. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 67(3):870-8, 3/2007. PMID: 17293237.
11. Milas L, Fang FM, Mason KA, Valdecanas D, Hunter N, Koto M, Ang KK. Importance of maintenance therapy in C225-induced enhancement of tumor control by fractionated radiation. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 67(2):568-72, 2/2007. PMID: 17236972.
12. Nakata E, Fukushima M, Takai Y, Nemoto K, Ogawa Y, Nomiya T, Nakamura Y, Milas L, Yamada S. S-1, an oral fluoropyrimidine, enhances radiation response of DLD-1/FU human colon cancer xenografts resistant to 5-FU. Oncol Rep 16(3):465-71, 9/2006. PMID: 16865244.
13. Mason KA, Neal R, Hunter N, Ariga H, Ang K, Milas L. CpG oligodeoxynucleotides are potent enhancers of radio- and chemoresponses of murine tumors. Radiother Oncol 80:192-8, 8/2006. PMID: 16905212.
14. Apisarnthanarax S, Alauddin MM, Mourtada F, Ariga H, Raju U, Mawlawi O, Han D, Bornmann WG, Ajani JA, Milas L, Gelovani JG, Chao KS. Early detection of chemoradioresponse in esophageal carcinoma by 3'-deoxy-3'-3H-fluorothymidine using preclinical tumor models. Clin Cancer Res 12(15):4590-4597, 8/2006. PMID: 16899606.
15. Wu X, Gu J, Wu TT, Swisher SG, Liao Z, Correa AM, Liu J, Etzel CJ, Amos CI, Huang M, Chiang SS, Milas L, Hittelman WN, Ajani JA. Genetic variations in radiation and chemotherapy drug action pathways predict clinical outcomes in esophageal cancer. J Clin Oncol 24(23):3789-98, 8/2006. PMID: 16785472.
16. Raju U, Ariga H, Koto M, Lu X, Pickett J, Valdecanas D, Mason KA, Milas L. Improvement of esophageal adenocarcinoma cell and xenograft responses to radiation by targeting cyclin-dependent kinases. Radiother Oncol 80(2):185-191, 8/2006. PMID: 16905211.
17. Nakata E, Takai Y, Nemoto K, Milas L. Enhancement of tumor cell radiosensitivity by a selective COX-2 inhibitor. Japanese Journal of Cancer Clinics 52:47-51, 2006.
18. Dipetrillo T, Milas L, Evans D, Akerman P, Ng Thomas, Miner T, Cruff D, Chauhan B, Iannitti D, Harrington D, Safran H. Paclitaxel Poliglumex (PPX-Xyotax) and Concurrent Radiation for Esophageal and Gastric Cancer. Am J Clin Oncol 29:376-379, 2006.
19. Raju U, Ariga H, Dittmann K, Nakata E, Ang KK, Milas L. Inhibition of DNA repair as a mechanism of enhanced radioresponse of head and neck carcinoma cells by a selective cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitor, celecoxib. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 63(2):520-8, 10/2005. PMID: 16168844.
20. Dittmann K, Mayer C, Fehrenbacher B, Schaller M, Raju U, Milas L, Chen DJ, Kehlbach R, Rodemann HP. Radiation-induced epidermal growth factor receptor nuclear import is linked to activation of DNA-dependent protein kinase. J Biol Chem 280(35):31182-9, 9/2005. PMID: 16000298.
21. Liao Z, Komaki R, Milas L, Yuan C, Kies M, Chang JY, Jeter M, Guerrero T, Blumenschien G, Smith CM, Fossella F, Brown B, Cox JD. A phase I clinical trial of thoracic radiotherapy and concurrent celecoxib for patients with unfavorable performance status inoperable/unresectable non-small cell lung cancer. Clin Cancer Res 11(9):3342-8, 5/2005. PMID: 15867233.
22. Dittmann K, Toulany M, Classen J, Heinrich V, Milas L, Rodemann HP. Selective Radioprotection of Normal Tissues by Bowman-Birk Proteinase Inhibitor (BBI) in Mice. Strahlenther Onkol 181(3):191-196, 3/2005. PMID: 15756524.
23. Mason KA, Ariga H, Neal R, Valdecanas D, Hunter N, Krieg AM, Whisnant JK, Milas L. Targeting toll-like receptor 9 with CpG oligodeoxynucleotides enhances tumor response to fractionated radiotherapy. Clin Cancer Res 11(1):361-9, 2005. PMID: 15671567.
24. Milas L, Mason KA, Ariga H, Hunter N, Neal R, Valdecanas D, Krieg AM, Whisnant JK. CpG oligodeoxynucleotide enhances tumor response to radiation. Cancer Res 64(15):5074-7, 8/2004. PMID: 15289307.
25. Nakata E, Hunter N, Mason K, Fan Z, Ang KK, Milas L. C225 antiepidermal growth factor receptor antibody enhances the efficacy of docetaxel chemoradiotherapy. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 59(4):1163-73, 7/2004. PMID: 15234052.
26. Mason KA, Hunter NR, Raju U, Ariga H, Husain A, Valdecanas D, Neal R, Ang KK, Milas L. Flavopiridol increases therapeutic ratio of radiotherapy by preferentially enhancing tumor radioresponse. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 59(4):1181-9, 7/2004. PMID: 15234054.
27. Komaki R, Lee JS, Milas L, Lee HK, Fossella FV, Herbst RS, Allen PK, Liao Z, Stevens CW, Lu C, Zinner RG, Papadimitrakopoulou VA, Kies MS, Blumenschein GR, Pisters KM, Glisson BS, Kurie J, Kaplan B, Garza VP, Mooring D, Tucker SL, Cox JD. Effects of amifostine on acute toxicity from concurrent chemotherapy and radiotherapy for inoperable non-small-cell lung cancer: report of a randomized comparative trial. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 58(5):1369-77, 4/2004. PMID: 15050312.
28. Brock WA, Milas L, Bergh S, Lo R, Szabó C, Mason KA. Radiosensitization of human and rodent cell lines by INO-1001, a novel inhibitor of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase. Cancer Lett 205(2):155-60, 3/2004. PMID: 15036647.
29. Ismail SM, Puppi M, Prithivirajsingh S, Munshi A, Raju U, Meyn RE, Buchholz TA, Story MD, Brock WA, Milas L, Thames HD, Stevens CW. Predicting radiosensitivity using DNA end-binding complex analysis. Clin Cancer Res 10(4):1226-34, 2/2004. PMID: 14977819.

Invited Articles
1. Milas L, Hittelman WN. Cancer Stem Cells and Tumor Response to Therapy: Current Problems and Future Prospects. Semin Radiat Oncol 19(1):96-105, 4/2009. PMID: 19249647.
2. Meyn RE, Milas L, Ang KK. The role of Apoptosis in Radiation Oncology. Int J Radiat Biol 85(2):107-15, 2/2009. PMID: 19280463.

Book Chapters
1. Milas L, Cox JD. Principles of Combining Radiation Therapy and Chemotherapy - Part I: Principles, Chapter 4. In: Radiation Oncology 9th edition, 9th. Ed(s) Cox JD, Ang KK. Elsevier: Philadelphia, PA, 102-117, 2010.
2. Ang KK, O'Reilly M, Meyn RE, Milas L. Principles of Combining Radiation Therapy and Molecular Therapeutics - Part I: Principles, Chapter 5. In: Radiation Oncology 9th edition, 9th. Ed(s) Cox JD, Ang KK. Elsevier: Philadelphia, PA, 118-140, 2010.

Grant & Contract Support

Title: Extension of Radiotherapy Research Project 4 Molecular Targeted Combined Therapy
Funding Source: NIH/NCI
Role: Co-Investigator
Principal Investigator: K. Ang: Project Director, L. Milas, Project Leader
Duration: 4/1/2004 - 3/31/2009
 
Title: Cancer Center Core Grant
Funding Source: NIH/NCI
Role: Project Leader
Principal Investigator: J. Mendelsohn
Duration: 6/30/2003 - 7/1/2008
 
Title: Extension of Radiotherapy Research, Core A General Laboratory Support Facilities
Funding Source: NIH/NCI
Role: Project Director
Principal Investigator: L. Milas
Duration: 3/6/1998 - 3/31/2009

Last updated: 12/1/2011