Benny Johnson, D.O.
Department of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology, Division of Cancer Medicine
About Dr. Benny Johnson
My clinical practice is centered on the management of patients with lower gastrointestinal malignancies, specifically colorectal & anal cancer. Translational research efforts are focused on identifying novel targets coupled with innovative clinical trial design for the treatment of rare and aggressive molecular subtypes of metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) such as atypical, non-V600 BRAF mutations, CMS4 and RAS mutations.
The absence of immune checkpoint blockade efficacy in the majority of patients with MSS mCRC is believed to be due to an immunosuppressive barrier of myeloid cells in the tumor microenvironment that include myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) and neutrophils. Chemokines secreted by the tumor recruit these myeloid cells into the tumor microenvironment by binding to the chemokine receptors CXCR1 and CXCR2 ("CXCR1/2") on the myeloid cell surface. MDACC pre-clinical models have shown that the core RAS mutations in mCRC ( KRAS or NRAS ) drive chemokine secretion by tumor cells. SX-682 is a novel oral small-molecule immunotherapy that disrupts signaling by CXCR1/2 and denies a tumor the protective myeloid cells that aid it in evading eradication by the host immune system. A special focus on such novel targets in the tumor microenvironment has therefore led to an investigator initiated immunotherapy trial combining this novel MDSC inhibitor in combination with anti-PD1 for patients with RAS mutant metastatic colorectal cancer. This trial is actively enrolling (2019-1151, STOPTRAFFIC-1).
Finally, additional work is focused on elucidating the distinct tumor biology of patients with early onset colorectal cancer to more appropriately tailor therapy and clinical trial design for this unique group of patients.
Clinical Trials:
1. 2019-1151 - Phase Ib/II Trial of SX-682 in Combination with Nivolumab for Refractory RAS Mutated (RAS) Microsatellite Stable (MSS) Metastatic Colorectal Cancer (mCRC) (STOPTRAFFIC-1) - Actively Enrolling
2. 2021-0814 - BI Strategic Alliance - A phase Ia/Ib, open label, multicenter, dose escalation study of BI 905711 in combination with chemotherapy followed by expansion cohorts in patients with advanced gastrointestinal cancers
3. 2019-0737 - An International Phase 1/2 Study of GRT-C903/GRT-R904, a off the Shelf Neoantigen Cancer Vaccine, In Combination with Immune Checkpoint Blockade for Patients with Advanced Solid Tumors
4. EA2165 - A Randomized Phase II Study of Nivolumab After Combined Modality Therapy (CMT) in High Risk Anal Cancer - Completed
*High Risk - Stage IIB (T3N0M0), IIIA (T2N1M0), IIIB (T4N0M0), or IIIC (T3N1M0)
5. 2019-0051 - An International Phase 1/2 Study of GRT-C901/GRT-R902, a Neoantigen Cancer Vaccine, In Combination with Immune Checkpoint Blockade for Patients with Advanced Solid Tumors
Present Title & Affiliation
Primary Appointment
Assistant Professor, Department of Gastrointestinal (GI) Medical Oncology, Division of Cancer Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Education & Training
Degree-Granting Education
| 2010 | Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM), Philadelphia, PA, USA, DO, Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine |
| 2005 | Villanova University (VU) , Villanova, PA, USA, BS, Bachelor of Science Biology, Minor in Chemistry, Ethics concentration in Health care |
Postgraduate Training
| 2016-2017 | Clinical Fellowship, Advanced Gastrointestinal Oncology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN |
| 2013-2016 | Clinical Fellowship, Hematology and Oncology, The University of Tennessee Health Science Center & West Cancer Center, Memphis, TN |
| 2010-2013 | Clinical Residency, Internal Medicine, Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine, Danville, PA |
Board Certifications
| 2016 | ABIM, Medical Oncology |
| 2013 | ABIM, Internal Medicine |
Honors & Awards
| 2018 | ASCO/AACR Vail Workshop Attendee: Methods in Clinical Cancer Research, ASCO/AACR |
| 2016 | Fellow of the Year, The University of Tennessee Health Science Center |
| 2015 | Fellow Travel Award Recipient, Poster Presentation at 25th Annual Mayo Clinic Hematology/Oncology, Mayo Clinic Cancer Center |
| 2014 | Cancer Center Trainee Research Award, The University of Tennessee Health Science Center |
| 2013 | Resident and Fellow Research Day- First Prize Winner Oral Research Presentation, Geisinger Medical Center |
| 2010 | Intern of the Year, Geisinger Medical Center, Internal Medicine Residency Program |
Professional Memberships
Selected Publications
Peer-Reviewed Articles
- Jácome AA, Vreeland TJ, Johnson B, Kawaguchi Y, Wei SH, Nancy You Y, Vilar E, Vauthey JN, Eng C. The prognostic impact of RAS on overall survival following liver resection in early versus late-onset colorectal cancer patients. Br J Cancer 124(4):797-804, 2021. e-Pub 2020. PMID: 33208919.
- Pandey R, Johnson N, Cooke L, Johnson B, Chen Y, Pandey M, Chandler J, Mahadevan D. TP53 Mutations as a Driver of Metastasis Signaling in Advanced Cancer Patients. Cancers (Basel) 13(4), 2021. e-Pub 2021. PMID: 33546249.
- Henry JT, Coker O, Chowdhury S, Shen JP, Morris VK, Dasari A, Raghav K, Nusrat M, Kee B, Parseghian C, Pant S, Jeyakumar N, Zhu L, Nishioka Y, Fogelman D, Wolff RA, Hong D, Overman MJ, Vauthey J, Kopetz S, Johnson B. Comprehensive Clinical and Molecular Characterization of KRAS G12C Mutant Colorectal Cancer. JCO Precis Oncol 5, 2021. e-Pub 2021. PMID: 34250391.
- Jácome AA, Kee B, Fogelman D, Dasari A, Shureiqi I, Raghav K, Morris V, Johnson, B, Overman M, Wolff R, Kopetz S, Rogers J, Ahmed SU, Mehdizadeh A, Rothschild N, Eng C. FOLFOXIRI Versus Doublet Regimens in Right-Sided Metastatic Colorectal Cancer: Focus on Subsequent Therapies and Impact on Overall Survival. Clin Colorectal Cancer 19(4):248-255.e6, 2020. e-Pub 2020. PMID: 32665092.
- Jácome AA, Ohinata A, Mahvash A, Overman MJ, Kee B, Fogelman D, Morris VK, Johnson, B, Rothschild ND, Wolff RA, Eng C. Bevacizumab Does Not Influence the Efficacy of Partial Splenic Embolization in the Management of Chemotherapy-Induced Hypersplenism. Clin Colorectal Cancer 19(4):e189-e199, 2020. e-Pub 2020. PMID: 32680816.
- Johnson B, Kopetz S. Applying Precision to the Management of BRAF-Mutant Metastatic Colorectal Cancer. Target Oncol 15(5):567-577, 2020. e-Pub 2020. PMID: 32889679.
- Rogers JE, Jácome AAA, Ohinata A, Wolff R, Morris VK, Johnson, B, Mehdizadeh A, Rothschild ND, Ahmed SU, Guerra JL, Eng C. Outcomes with anti-EGFR monoclonal antibodies in metastatic and recurrent anal squamous cell carcinoma. Expert Rev Anticancer Ther 20(10):901-908, 2020. e-Pub 2020. PMID: 32799569.
- Chu JE, Johnson B, Kugathasan L, Morris VK, Raghav K, Swanson L, Lim HJ, Renouf DJ, Gill S, Wolber R, Karsan A, Kopetz S, Schaeffer DF, Loree JM. Population-based screening for BRAFV600E in metastatic colorectal cancer reveals increased prevalence and poor prognosis. Clin Cancer Res 26(17):4599-4605, 2020. e-Pub 2020. PMID: 32571791.
- Mendis S, Alcaide M, Topham JT, Johnson, B, Morin RD, Chu J, Bosdet I, Kopetz S, Karsan A, Gill S, Laskin J, Jones SJM, Marra MA, Schaeffer DF, Renouf DJ, Loree JM. Integration of Whole-Genome Sequencing With Circulating Tumor DNA Analysis Captures Clonal Evolution and Tumor Heterogeneity in Non-V600 BRAF Mutant Colorectal Cancer. Clin Colorectal Cancer 19(2):132-136.e3, 2020. e-Pub 2020. PMID: 32151517.
- Johnson, B,, Eng C. More questions regarding HIPEC in colorectal carcinomatosis. Lancet Gastroenterol Hepatol 4(10):744-745, 2019. e-Pub 2019. PMID: 31371229.
- Henry JT, Johnson, B,. Current and evolving biomarkers for precision oncology in the management of metastatic colorectal cancer. Chin Clin Oncol 8(5):49, 2019. e-Pub 2019. PMID: 31500426.
- Johnson, B,, Loree JM, Jacome AA, et al.. Atypical, Non-V600 BRAF Mutations as a Potential Mechanism of Resistance to EGFR Inhibition in Metastatic Colorectal Cancer. JCO Precision Oncology(3):1-10, 2019. PMID: 32914034.
- Parseghian CM, Loree JM, Morris VK, Liu X, Clifton KK, Napolitano S, Henry JT, Pereira AA, Vilar E, Johnson, B,, Kee B, Raghav K, Dasari A, Wu J, Garg N, Raymond VM, Banks KC, Talasaz AA, Lanman RB, Strickler JH, Hong DS, Corcoran RB, Overman MJ, Kopetz S. Anti-EGFR Resistant Clones Decay Exponentially After Progression: Implications for Anti-EGFR Re-challenge. Ann Oncol 30(2):243-249, 2019. e-Pub 2018. PMID: 30462160.
- Jin Z, Sanhueza CT, Johnson B, Nagorney DM, Larson DW, Mara KC, Harmsen WC, Smyrk TC, Grothey A, Hubbard JM. Outcome of Mismatch Repair-Deficient Metastatic Colorectal Cancer: The Mayo Clinic Experience. Oncologist 23(9):1083-1091, 2018. e-Pub 2018. PMID: 29674439.
- Johnson B, Jin Z, Haddock MG, Hallemeier CL, Martenson JA, Smoot RL, Larson DW, Dozois EJ, Nagorney DM, Grothey A. A Curative-Intent Trimodality Approach for Isolated Abdominal Nodal Metastases in Metastatic Colorectal Cancer: Update of a Single-Institutional Experience. Oncologist 23(6):679-685, 2018. e-Pub 2018. PMID: 29445027.
- Johnson B, Jin Z, Truty MJ, Smoot RL, Nagorney DM, Kendrick ML, Kipp BR, Grothey A. Impact of Metastasectomy in the Multimodality Approach for BRAF V600E Metastatic Colorectal Cancer: The Mayo Clinic Experience. Oncologist 23(1):128-134, 2018. e-Pub 2017. PMID: 28904173.
- Johnson B, Cooke L, Mahadevan D. Next generation sequencing identifies 'interactome' signatures in relapsed and refractory metastatic colorectal cancer. J Gastrointest Oncol 8(1):20-31, 2017. PMID: 28280605.
- Johnson B, Khalil M, Blansfield J, Lin F, Zhu S, Kirchner HL, Weir AB. Investigating the prognostic value of KOC (K homology domain containing protein overexpressed in cancer) overexpression after curative intent resection of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. J Gastrointest Oncol 7(6):E113-E117, 2016. PMID: 28078135.
- Jamy O, Nunnery S, Giri S, Wiedower E, Johnson B, Yaghmour G, Martin MG. Under-recognition of hemophagocytic syndrome in United States' rural, non-teaching hospitals. Leuk Lymphoma 57(12):2911-2913, 2016. e-Pub 2016. PMID: 27087428.
- Johnson B, Giri S, Nunnery SE, Wiedower E, Jamy O, Yaghmour G, Chandler JC, Martin MG. Comorbidities Drive Outcomes for Both Malignancy-Associated and Non-Malignancy-Associated Hemophagocytic Syndrome. Clin Lymphoma Myeloma Leuk 16(4):230-6, 2016. e-Pub 2016. PMID: 26837475.
- Johnson B, Vanderwalde A, Javadi N, Feldman R, Reddy SB. Molecular profiling of a case of advanced pancreatic cancer identifies an active and tolerable combination of targeted therapy with backbone chemotherapy. J Gastrointest Oncol 7(2):E6-E12, 2016. PMID: 27034805.
- Qi W, Morales C, Cooke LS, Johnson B, Somer B, Mahadevan D. Reciprocal feedback inhibition of the androgen receptor and PI3K as a novel therapy for castrate-sensitive and -resistant prostate cancer. Oncotarget 6(39):41976-87, 2015. PMID: 26506516.
- Giri S, Chi M, Johnson B, McCormick D, Jamy O, Bhatt VR, Martin MG. Secondary acute lymphoblastic leukemia is an independent predictor of poor prognosis. Leuk Res 39(12):1342-6, 2015. e-Pub 2015. PMID: 26427729.
- Johnson B, Mahadevan D. Emerging Role and Targeting of Carcinoembryonic Antigen-related Cell Adhesion Molecule 6 (CEACAM6) in Human Malignancies. Clin Cancer Drugs 2(2):100-111, 2015. PMID: 27595061.
- Johnson B, Johnson R. Secondary Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis (SHLH) in the Context of Newly Diagnosed Philadelphia Posi¬tive, CD 20+ B-Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Lymphoma (B-ALL): A Case Report and Brief Review of Literature. J Cancer Biol Res 3(2):1061, 2013.
- Johnson B, Khalil M. Discordant tumor response in the treatment of ALK-rearranged non-small cell lung cancer leads to the diagnosis of synchronous multiple primary lung cancer. Case Reports in Clinical Medicine 2(1):16-19, 2013.
- Rogers JE, Johnson B.. The reality of early-onset colorectal cancer: highlighting the needs in a unique but emerging population. Digestive Med Research 4(63). e-Pub 2021. PMID: 35047765.
Invited Articles
- Jacome AA, Johnson B.. More than FOLFOX and FOLFIRI: The Management of Metastatic Colorectal Cancer in the Era of Precision Oncology. EMJ Oncology 9(1):43-52, 2021.
- Johnson B, Eng C. The promise of immunotherapy in anal squamous cell carcinoma: a novel approach for an orphan disease. Clin Adv Hematol Oncol 15(12):968-961, 2017. PMID: 29315288.
Editorials
- Rogers J, Johnson B.. The reality of early-onset colorectal cancer: highlighting the needs in a unique but emerging population. Digestive Med Research, 2021.
- Benny Johnson, Cathy Eng. More questions regarding HIPEC in colorectal carcinomatosis. Lancet Gastroenterol Hepatol 4(10):744-745, 2019. PMID: 31371229.
Abstracts
- B. Johnson, S. Kopetz. Comprehensive landscape of BRAF variant classes, clonalities, and comutations in metastatic colorectal cancer using ctDNA profiling. GI ASCO 2022, 2022.
- B. Johnson, M. Overman. A phase II study of durvalumab (MEDI4736) (anti-PD-L1) and trametinib (MEKi) in microsatellite stable (MSS) metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC. GI ASCO 2020, 2020.
- V. Serpas, B. Johnson. Impact of antibiotic exposure on the efficacy of immune checkpoint blockade in MSI-H metastatic CRC. GI ASCO 2020, 2020.
- Johnson B. Activity of EGFR inhibition in atypical (non-V600E) BRAF-mutated metastatic colorectal cancer. J Clin Oncol 37(suppl 4; abstr 596), 2019.
- Daniel Tannenbaum, Kanwal Pratap Singh Raghav, Robert Asa Horn, Michael J. Overman, Cathy Eng, Scott Kopetz, Benny Johnson, Van K. Morris, Christine Megerdichian Parseghian, George J. Chang, Jane Elizabeth Rogers, Susan Parker, Maria de los Angeles Lopez-Olivo, Arvind Dasari. Systematic review of three decades of clinical trials in metastatic colorectal cancer: Making lemonade out of lemons?. J Clin Oncol 37(suppl 4; abstr 656), 2019.
- Raghav KPS, Fournier KF, Johnson B, Taggart MW, Foo WC, Matamoros A, Mehdizadeh A, Ahmed SU, Guerra JL, Mansfield PF, Royal RE, Eng C, Overman MJ. Interplay of grade and stage on survival outcomes in appendiceal adenocarcinoma: Corroboration of the AJCC (8th edition) Cancer Staging Classification. 2018 Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium 36(suppl 4S), 2018.
- Johnson B, Jin Z., Haddock, M.G., et al.. A curative intent trimodality approach for advanced isolated abdominal nodal metastasis in metastatic colorectal cancer: update of a single-institutional experience, 2017.
- Johnson B, Jin Z., Truty M., et al.. Impact of Metastasectomy in the Multimodality Approach for BRAFV600E Metastatic Colorectal Cancer (mCRC): The Mayo Clinic Experience, 2017.
- Johnson B, Cooke, L., Mahadevan, D.. Novel mutational and pathway signatures in relapsed/refractory colorectal cancer patients, 2016.
- Johnson B, Giri S., Nunnery S., Wiedower E., Jamy O., Chandler J., Martin MG. Comorbidities Drive Outcomes for both Malignancy and Non-Malignancy Associated Hemophagocytic Syndrome, 2015.
- Johnson B, Khalil, M.F., Blansfield, J., Lin, F., Zhu S., Kirchner, L.H.. Investigating the prognostic value of a panel of biomarkers after curative intent resection of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, 2013.
- Johnson, B, Khalil, M.F., Lin, F., Zhu, S., Kirchner, L.H.. KOC (K homology domain containing protein overexpressed in cancer) overexpression and progression-free survival after curative intent resection of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, 2012.
Book Chapters
- Johnson, B. In: MD Anderson Medical Manual – Colorectal Chapter – Contributing Author, 2020.
Grant & Contract Support
| Title: | Phase Ib/II Trial of SX-682 in Combination with Nivolumab for Refractory RAS Mutated (RAS) Microsatellite Stable (MSS) Metastatic Colorectal Cancer (mCRC) (STOPTRAFFIC-1) |
| Funding Source: | Bristol-Myers Squibb |
| Role: | Principal Investigator |
| Title: | An International Phase 1/2 Study of GRT-0903/GRT-R904, an off the Shelf Neoantigen Cancer Vaccine In Combination with Immune Checkpoint Blockade for Patients with Advanced Solid Tumors |
| Funding Source: | Gristone |
| Role: | Principal Investigator |
| Title: | An International Phase 1/2 Study of GRT-C901/GRT-R902, a Neoantigen Cancer Vaccine, In Combination with Immune Checkpoint Blockade for Patients with Advanced Solid Tumors |
| Funding Source: | Gritstone |
| Role: | Principal Investigator |
| Title: | SX-682 in combination with Nivolumab for ctDNA positive colorectal cancer |
| Funding Source: | Gateway for Cancer Research Foundation |
| Role: | Principal Investigator |
| Title: | Phase Ib/II Trial of SX-682 in Combination with Nivolumab for Refractory RAS Mutated (RAS) Microsatellite Stable (MSS) Metastatic Colorectal Cancer (mCRC) (STOPTRAFFIC-1) |
| Funding Source: | Syntrix |
| Role: | Principal Investigator |