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Peter E. Zage, MD, PhD

Present Title & Affiliation

Primary Appointment

Assistant Professor, Department of Pediatrics Patient Care, Division of Pediatrics, The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX

Dual/Joint/Adjunct Appointment

Adjunct Member/Graduate Faculty, The University of Texas Graduate School of Biomedical Services, Houston, TX

Bio Statement

Research Interests

The research in our translational laboratory is directed at evaluating the efficacy of novel therapies for children with neuroblastoma, retinoblastoma, and other neural tumors and at understanding the critical genetic and molecular events that lead to the development of these tumors in children that can be used as targets of new treatments.  In collaboration with many members of the Division of Pediatrics, we have developed a research program that has identified several effective agents and new combinations that have been advanced into clinical trials for children with relapsed or refractory solid tumors.

We have recently demonstrated the efficacy of the combination of vandetanib, a tyrosine kinase inhibitor, with 13-cis-retinoic acid, a component of neuroblastoma treatment. This combination is currently undergoing testing in a phase I trial here at the Children's Cancer Hospital at M. D. Anderson Cancer Center for children with recurrent or refractory neuroblastoma.  We are currently evaluating the efficacy of a variety of other tyrosine kinase inhibitors and other novel agents in our model systems.

Additionally, we are developing a comprehensive center for the treatment of children with recurrent or refractory neuroblastoma, to include chemotherapy, novel biologically targeted agents, MIBG therapy, antibody therapy, and immunotherapy. As a research co-director of The Retinoblastoma Center of Houston, a collaboration of four major medical centers in Houston, we are working to improve the treatment for children with retinoblastoma. We are also collaborating with other institutions in the development of other novel approaches to treatments for all children with cancer.

The University of Texas Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences at Houston website:  http://gsbs.uth.tmc.edu/tutorial/zage.html

Education & Training

Degree-Granting Education

1999 Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY, MD, Medical School
1997 Columbia University, New York, NY, PHD, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences

Postgraduate Training

2002-2005 Clinical Fellowship, Pediatric Hematology-Oncology, Children's Memorial Hospital, Chicago, IL
1999-2002 Clinical Residency, Pediatrics, University of Chicago Children's Hospital, Chicago, IL

Board Certifications

2006 American Board of Pediatrics, Pediatric Hematology/Oncology
2002 American Board of Pediatrics, Pediatrics

Honors and Awards

2009 Young Investigator Award, American Society of Pediatric Hematology & Oncology
2007 Award of Excellence (10/13/2007), Texas Society of Medical Oncology Research Conference
2006-2007 Teaching Attending of the Year Award - Fellowship Class, Academic Year, Children's Cancer Hospital, The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center

Professional Memberships

American Academy of Pediatrics
Fellow, 2003-present
American Association for Cancer Research
Member, 2007-present
American Society of Clinical Oncology
Associate Member, 2002-present
American Society of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology
Member, 2007-present
Children's Oncology Group, Arcadia, CA
Member, 2005-present
Harris County Medical Society, Houston, TX
Member, 2006-present
Texas Pediatric Society, Houston, TX
Member, 2006-present
Texas Society of Medical Oncology, Houston, TX
Member, 2007-present

Selected Publications

Peer-Reviewed Original Research Articles
1. Zage PE, Zeng L, Palla S, Fang W, Nilsson MB, Heymach JV, and Zweidler-McKay PA. A Novel Therapeutic Combination for Neuroblastoma: The VEGFR/EGFR/RET Inhibitor Vandetanib with 13-cis-Retinoic Acid. Cancer. In Press.
2. Wolff JEA, Wagner S, Zage PE, Kramm C, Kortmann RD, Emser A, Faldrum A, Pietsch T, Kuhl J, Gnekow A. Quality-Control in Pediatric Neuro-Oncology: Can We Use Indirect Measures? AntiCancer Research. In Press.
3. Thress K, MacIntyre T, Wang H, Whitston D, Lui ZY, Hoffmann E, Wang T, Brown JL, Webster K, Omer C, Zage PE, Zeng L, Zweidler-McKay PA. Identification and preclinical characterization of AZ-23, a novel, selective, and orally bioavailable inhibitor of the TRK kinase pathway. Mol Cancer Ther 8(7). e-Pub 6/9/2009. PMID: 19509272.
4. Zage PE, Reitman AJ, Seshadri R, Weinstein JL, Mets MB, Zeid JL, Greenwald MJ, Strauss LC, Goldman S. Outcomes of a two-drug chemotherapy regimen for intraocular retinoblastoma. Pediatr Blood Cancer 50(3):567-72, 3/2008. PMID: 17729249.
5. Zage PE, Kletzel M, Murray K, Marcus R, Castleberry R, Zhang Y, London WB, Kretschmar C, Kretschmar C. Outcomes of the POG 9340/9341/9342 trials for children with high-risk neuroblastoma: A report from the Children's Oncology Group. Pediatr Blood Cancer 51(6):747-53, 2008. PMID: 18704922.
6. Zhang M, Aguilera D, Das C, Vasquez H, Zage P, Gopalakrishnan V, Wolff J. Measuring cytotoxicity: A new perspective on LC50. Anticancer Res 27(1A):35-8, Jan-Feb, 2007. PMID: 17352213.
7. Zhang M, Das C, Vasquez H, Aguilera D, Zage PE, Gopalakrishnan V, Wolff JE. Predicting tumor cell repopulation after response: Mathematical modeling of cancer cell growth. Anticancer Res 26(4B):2933-6, Jul-Aug, 7/2006. PMID: 16886616.
8. Zage PE, Chopra M, McRae W and Goldman S. Retinoblastoma Associated with Congenital Hypotonia: A Case Report and Review of the Literature. Journal of Pediatric Neurology 4(4):265-270, 2006.
9. Chlenski A, Liu S, Guerrero LJ, Yang Q, Tian Y, Salwen HR, Zage P, Cohn SL. SPARC expression is associated with impaired tumor growth, inhibited angiogenesis and changes in the extracellular matrix. Int J Cancer 118(2):310-316, 2006. PMID: 16052522.
10. Liu S, Tian Y, Chlenski A, Yang Q, Zage P, Salwen HR, Crawford SE, Cohn SL. "Cross-Talk" between Schwann cells and neuroblasts influences the biology of neuroblastoma xenografts. Am J Pathol 166(3):891-900, 3/2005. PMCID: PMC1602341.
11. Yang Q, Zage P, Kagan D, Tian Y, Seshadri R, Salwen HR, Liu S, Chlenski A, Cohn SL. Association of Epigenetic Inactivation of RASSF1A with Poor Outcome in Human Neuroblastoma. Clin Cancer Res 10(24):8493-8500, 2004. PMID: 15623630.
12. David FS, Zage PE, Marcantonio EE. Integrins Interact With Focal Adhesions Through Multiple Distinct Pathways. J Cell Physiol 181(1):74-82, 1999. PMID: 10457355.
13. Zage PE, Marcantonio EE. The Membrane Proximal Region of the Integrin Beta Cytoplasmic Domain Can Mediate Oligomerization. Cell Adhes Commun 5(5):335-347, 1998. PMID: 9789682.
14. Zage PE, Yang Q, Tian Y, Salven HR, Chlenski A, and Cohn SL. The Role of RASSF1A in Neuroblastoma Tumorigenesis. Submitted.
15. Aguilera A, Das C, Taylor H, Wolff J, Zage PE and Gopalakrishnan V. VPA induces topoisomerase II expression by epigenetic modulation of gene expression in neuroblastoma cells. Submitted.

Book Chapters
1. Zage P. Pediatric Hematology/Oncology. In: Pediatric Examination and Board Review. Ed(s) R. Daum and J. Canel. McGraw-Hill, 343-381, 2007.
2. Walterhouse, D.O. and P.E. Zage. Soft Tissue Sarcomas. In: Pediatrics: Just the Facts. Ed(s) Green, T., W. Franklin and R.R. Tanz. McGraw-Hill, 382-383, 2005.
3. Zage, P.E. and D.L. Brown. Thrombophilia. In: Pediatrics: Just the Facts. Ed(s) Green, T., W. Franklin and R.R. Tanz. McGraw-Hill, 365-366, 2005.

Last updated: 9/4/2009