Eduardo Vilar-Sanchez, M.D., Ph.D.
Department of Clinical Cancer Prevention, Division of Cancer Prevention and Population Sciences
Present Title & Affiliation
Primary Appointment
Associate Professor (Term Tenure), Department of Clinical Cancer Prevention, Division of OVP, Cancer Prevention and Population Sciences, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Dual/Joint/Adjunct Appointment
Associate Professor (Term Tenure), Department of Gastrointestinal (GI) Medical Oncology, Division of Cancer Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Affiliate Faculty, Department of Clinical Cancer Genetics Program, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Regular Member, Department of Cancer Biology, MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Houston, TX
Regular Member, Department of Quantitative Sciences, MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Houston, TX
Research Interests
Dr. Vilar-Sanchez is a physician-scientist and a medical oncologist by training. Dr. Vilar’s clinical expertise and practice are devoted to the care of patients and families diagnosed with hereditary cancer syndromes with a special emphasis in Lynch Syndrome and Familial Adenomatous Polyposis. His long term goal is to contribute to the understanding of colorectal cancer carcinogenesis at the molecular and cellular level and leverage this information to develop novel cancer interception strategies for these genetic conditions. In order to accomplish this overarching goal, the Vilar research group has contributed to the characterization of the genomic and transcriptomic landscape of colorectal premalignancy by both utilizing next-generation sequencing and systems biology tools, which has allowed them to identify new genes cooperating in carcinogenesis (e.g. CNOT3 ), and also identifying novel drug targets for clinical trial implementation (e.g. Naproxen, neoantigens for vaccines). In addition, the Vilar Group has participated in the development of ex vivo models to better recapitulate the biology of the uninvolved adjacent mucosa and premalignancy. Finally, Dr. Vilar has designed investigator-initiated clinical trials in Lynch Syndrome that have been funded by the National Cancer Institute through the N01 (now UG1) Chemoprevention Consortium for early drug development in prevention.
Education & Training
Degree-Granting Education
| 2009 | University Miguel Hernandez, Alicante, ESP, PHD, Anatomy |
| 2007 | Spanish National Cancer Center (CNIO), Madrid, ESP, MS, Molecular Oncology |
| 2002 | University Miguel Hernandez Medical School, Alicante, ESP, MD, Medicine |
Postgraduate Training
| 2009-2011 | Clinical Fellowship, Hematology/Oncology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI |
| 2007-2009 | Research Fellowship, Molecular Medicine & Genetics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI |
| 2004-2007 | Clinical Residency, Medical Oncology, Vall d'Hebron University Hospital, Barcelona |
| 2003-2004 | Clinical Internship, Internal Medicine, Vall d'Hebron University Hospital, Barcelona |
Board Certifications
| 2019 | American Board of Internal Medicine, Internal Medicine |
Experience & Service
Academic Appointments
Regular Member, Department of Genetics and Epigenetics, MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Houston, TX, 2017 - 2019
Director, Department of Human and Molecular Genetics, MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Houston, TX, 2016 - 2018
Co-Director, Department of Human and Molecular Genetics Graduate Program, MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Houston, TX, 2015 - 2016
Assistant Professor (Tenure Track), Department of Clinical Cancer Prevention, Division of OVP, Cancer Prevention and Population Sciences, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 2012 - 2018
Assistant Professor (Tenure Track), Department of Gastrointestinal (GI) Medical Oncology, Division of Cancer Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 2012 - 2018
Honors & Awards
| 2022 | Margaret and James A. Elkins, Jr. Faculty Achievement Award in Cancer Prevention, MD Anderson Cancer Center |
| 2022 | 2022 Margaret and Hames A. Elkins, Jr. Faculty Achievement Award in Cancer Prevention |
| 2018 | The Best of AACR Journals Collection, American Association for Cancer Research |
| 2017 | Regular Member, Five-Year Renewal with Commendation, The University of Texas Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Houston, TX |
| 2014 | Faculty Educator of the Month - September 2014, UT MD Anderson Cancer Center |
| 2011 | Young Investigator Award, American Society of Clinical Oncology |
| 2011 | Extraordinary Award for PhD dissertations, Miguel Hernandez University, Alicante, Spain |
| 2010 | Excellence in Research Award, Hematology/Oncology Fellowship Program, University of Michigan |
| 2009 | Merit Award, American Society of Clinical Oncology |
| 2009 | Outstanding Research Award, Internal Medicine Research Symposium, University of Michigan |
| 2008 | Merit Award, American Society of Clinical Oncology |
| 2007 | 'la Caixa' Fellowship, 'la Caixa' Foundation, Barcelona, Spain |
| 2002 | Academic Grant for Undergraduate Students, Department of Anatomy & Histology, Miguel Hernandez University, Alicante, Spain |
Selected Publications
Peer-Reviewed Articles
- Orouji E, Raman AT, Singh AK, Sorokin A, Arslan E, Ghosh AK, Schulz J, Terranova C, Jiang S, Tang M, Maitituoheti M, Callahan SC, Barrodia P, Tomczak K, Jiang Y, Jiang Z, Davis JS, Ghosh S, Lee HM, Reyes-Uribe L, Chang K, Liu Y, Chen H, Azhdarinia A, Morris J, Vilar E, Carmon KS, Kopetz SE, Rai K. Chromatin state dynamics confers specific therapeutic strategies in enhancer subtypes of colorectal cancer. Gut 71(5):938-949, 2022. e-Pub 2021. PMID: 34059508.
- Jakubek YA, Chang K, Sivakumar S, Yu Y, Giordano MR, Fowler J, Huff CD, Kadara H, Vilar E, Scheet P. Large-scale analysis of acquired chromosomal alterations in non-tumor samples from patients with cancer. Nat Biotechnol 38(1):90-96, 2020. e-Pub 2019. PMID: 31685958.
- Chang K, Willis JA, Reumers J, Taggart MW, San Lucas FA, Thirumurthi S, Kanth P, Delker DA, Hagedorn CH, Lynch PM, Ellis LM, Hawk ET, Scheet PA, Kopetz S, Arts J, Guinney J, Dienstmann R, Vilar E. Colorectal premalignancy is associated with consensus molecular subtypes 1 and 2. Ann Oncol 29(10):2061-2067, 2018. PMID: 30412224.
- Lo YH, Noah TK, Chen MS, Zou W, Borras E, Vilar E, Shroyer NF. SPDEF Induces Quiescence of Colorectal Cancer Cells by Changing the Transcriptional Targets of β-catenin. Gastroenterology 153(1):205-218.e8, 2017. e-Pub 2017. PMID: 28390865.
- Crespo M, Vilar E, Tsai SY, Chang K, Amin S, Srinivasan T, Zhang T, Pipalia NH, Chen HJ, Witherspoon M, Gordillo M, Xiang JZ, Maxfield FR, Lipkin S, Evans T, Chen S. Colonic organoids derived from human induced pluripotent stem cells for modeling colorectal cancer and drug testing. Nat Med 23(7):878-884, 2017. e-Pub 2017. PMID: 28628110.
- de Rosa N, Rodriguez-Bigas MA, Chang GJ, Veerapong J, Borras E, Krishnan S, Bednarski B, Messick CA, Skibber JM, Feig BW, Lynch PM, Vilar E, You YN. DNA Mismatch Repair Deficiency in Rectal Cancer: Benchmarking Its Impact on Prognosis, Neoadjuvant Response Prediction, and Clinical Cancer Genetics. J Clin Oncol 34(25):3039-46, 2016. e-Pub 2016. PMID: 27432916.
- Borras E, San Lucas FA, Chang K, Zhou R, Masand G, Fowler J, Mork ME, You YN, Taggart MW, McAllister F, Jones DA, Davies GE, Edelmann W, Ehli EA, Lynch PM, Hawk ET, Capella G, Scheet P, Vilar E. Genomic Landscape of Colorectal Mucosa and Adenomas. Cancer Prev Res (Phila) 9(6):417-27, 2016. e-Pub 2016. PMID: 27221540.
- Mork ME, You YN, Ying J, Bannon SA, Lynch PM, Rodriguez-Bigas MA, Vilar E. High Prevalence of Hereditary Cancer Syndromes in Adolescents and Young Adults With Colorectal Cancer. J Clin Oncol 33(31):3544-9, 2015. e-Pub 2015. PMID: 26195711.
- San Lucas FA, Fowler J, Chang K, Kopetz S, Vilar E, Scheet P. Cancer in silico drug discovery: a systems biology tool for identifying candidate drugs to target specific molecular tumor subtypes. Mol Cancer Ther 13(12):3230-40, 2014. e-Pub 2014. PMID: 25349306.
- Vilar E, Bartnik CM, Stenzel SL, Raskin L, Ahn J, Moreno V, Mukherjee B, Iniesta MD, Morgan MA, Rennert G, Gruber SB. MRE11 deficiency increases sensitivity to poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibition in microsatellite unstable colorectal cancers. Cancer Res 71(7):2632-42, 2011. e-Pub 2011. PMID: 21300766.
- Vilar E, Mukherjee B, Kuick R, Raskin L, Misek DE, Taylor JM, Giordano TJ, Hanash SM, Fearon ER, Rennert G, Gruber SB. Gene expression patterns in mismatch repair-deficient colorectal cancers highlight the potential therapeutic role of inhibitors of the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase-AKT-mammalian target of rapamycin pathway. Clin Cancer Res 15(8):2829-39, 2009. e-Pub 2009. PMID: 19351759.
- Vilar E, Scaltriti M, Balmaña J, Saura C, Guzman M, Arribas J, Baselga J, Tabernero J. Microsatellite instability due to hMLH1 deficiency is associated with increased cytotoxicity to irinotecan in human colorectal cancer cell lines. Br J Cancer 99(10):1607-12, 2008. e-Pub 2008. PMID: 18941461.
Invited Articles
- Spira A, Yurgelun MB, Alexandrov L, Rao A, Bejar R, Polyak K, Giannakis M, Shilatifard A, Finn OJ, Dhodapkar M, Kay NE, Braggio E, Vilar E, Mazzilli SA, Rebbeck TR, Garber JE, Velculescu VE, Disis ML, Wallace DC, Lippman SM. Precancer Atlas to Drive Precision Prevention Trials. Cancer Res 77(7):1510-1541, 2017. PMID: 28373404.
- Spira A, Disis ML, Schiller JT, Vilar E, Rebbeck TR, Bejar R, Ideker T, Arts J, Yurgelun MB, Mesirov JP, Rao A, Garber J, Jaffee EM, Lippman SM. Leveraging premalignant biology for immune-based cancer prevention. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 113(39):10750-8, 2016. e-Pub 2016. PMID: 27638202.
- Vilar E, Tabernero J. Molecular Dissection of Microsatellite Instable Colorectal Cancer. Cancer Discov 3(5):502-11, 2013. e-Pub 2013. PMID: 23454900.
- Vilar E, Perez-Garcia J, Tabernero J. Pushing the envelope in the mTOR pathway: the second generation of inhibitors. Mol Cancer Ther 10(3):395-403, 2011. e-Pub 2011. PMID: 21216931.
- Dienstmann R, Vilar E , Tabernero J. Molecular predictors of response to chemotherapy in colorectal cancer. Cancer J 17(2):114-26, 2011. PMID: 21427555.
- Vilar E, Gruber SB. Microsatellite instability in colorectal cancer-the stable evidence. Nat Rev Clin Oncol 7(3):153-62, 2010. e-Pub 2010. PMID: 20142816.
- Durán I, Salazar R, Casanovas O, Arrazubi V, Vilar E, Siu LL, Yao J, Tabernero J. New drug development in digestive neuroendocrine tumors. Ann Oncol 18(8):1307-13, 2007. e-Pub 2007. PMID: 17301070.
Editorials
- Willis JA, Vilar E. Pharmacogenomics: Time to re-think its role in Precision Medicine. Ann Oncol 29(2):293-295, 2018. PMID: 29236957.
- Barnett RM, Vilar E. Targeted Therapy for Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts: Are We There Yet?. J Natl Cancer Inst 110(1), 2018. PMID: 28922783.
- Willis JA, Vilar E. Refining Prognosis in Early-Stage Colorectal Cancer: One or multiple genes at a time?. Ann Oncol 28(8):1686-1688, 2017. PMID: 28549076.
- Vilar E, Stoffel EM. Universal Genetic Testing for Younger Patients With Colorectal Cancer. JAMA Oncol 3(4):448-449, 2017. PMID: 27978567.
- Vilar E, Maresso KC, Hawk ET. Aspirin for Cancer Prevention: One Step Closer. JAMA Oncol 2(6):770-1, 2016. PMID: 26939883.
- Colbert Maresso K, Vilar E, Hawk ET. Urinary PGE-M in Colorectal Cancer: Predicting More than Risk?. Cancer Prev Res (Phila) 7(10):969-72, 2014. PMID: 25070664.
- Borras E, Taggart MW, Lynch PM, Vilar E. Establishing a Diagnostic Road Map for MUTYH-Associated Polyposis. Clin Cancer Res 20(5):1061-3, 2014. PMID: 24486588.
- You YN, Vilar E . Classifying MMR Variants: Time for Revised Nomenclature in Lynch Syndrome. Clin Cancer Res 19(9):2280-2, 2013. PMID: 23532885.
- Vilar E, Tabernero J. Cancer: Pinprick diagnostics. Nature 486(7404):482-3, 2012. PMID: 22739312.
- Vilar E, Tabernero J, Gruber SB. Micromanaging the classification of colon cancer: the role of the microRNAome. Clin Cancer Res 17(23):7207-9, 2011, 2011. PMID: 22019515.
- del Campo JM, Vilar E. New challenges for molecular oncology in ovarian carcinoma. Med Clin (Barc) 128(1):15-7, 2007. PMID: 17266887.
Abstracts
- Uribe LR, Lin R, Stoffel EM, Samadder NJ, Lynch PM, Kanth P, Milne GL, Marnett LJ, Sepeda V, Liu DD, You YN, Vornik LA, Lee JJ, Richmond E, Umar A, Perloff M, Lipkin SM, Brown PB, Vilar E. A phase Ib biomarker trial of naproxen in patients at risk for DNA mismatch repair deficient colorectal cancer. AACR Annual Meeting 2018, Chicago, IL Cancer Res (2018) 78 (13_Supplement): CT065, 2018.
Book Chapters
- Barnett RM, Borras E, Samadder NJ, Vilar E. Chemoprevention in Hereditary Colorectal Cancer Syndromes. In: Hereditary Colorectal Cancer: Genetic Basis and Clinical Implications. Springer Nature: Switzerland, 349-366, 2018.
- Vilar E, Salazar R, Tabernero J. Medical Oncology Management of Hereditary Colorectal Cancer. In: Hereditary Colorectal Cancer: Genetic Basis and Clinical Implications. Springer Nature: Switzerland, 401-416, 2018.
- Mork M, Vilar E. MUTYH-Associated Polyposis. In: Intestinal Polyposis Syndromes Diagnoses and Management. Springer International Publishing: Cham, Switzerland, 25-32, 2016.
- JM Reyes, Vilar E. Epidemiology and Prevention. In: Medicina Interna Farreras. 18. Elsevier: Barcelona, Spain, 1084-85, 2016.
- Vilar E. Colorectal Cancer. In: Medicina Interna Farreras. 18. Elsevier: Barcelona, Spain, 1101-3, 2016.
- Bailey CE, Vilar E, You YNY. Adjuvant and Neoadjuvant Management of Cancer of the Colon and Rectum. In: ACS Surgery, Principles and Practice. Decker Intellectual Properties: Hamilton, ON Canada, 2014.
- Vilar E, Zalupski MM. Oncology Boards Flash Review. In: Gastric Cancer. Demos Medical Publishing, LLC: New York, 221, 2013.
- Maresso KC, Patterson S, Vilar E, Hawk E. Prevention and Screening: risk factors, screening, and chemoprevention. In: Cancers of the Colon and Rectum: A Multidisciplinary Approach to Diagnosis and Management. Demos Medical Publishing: New York, 2013.
- Vilar E, Zalupski MM. Gastric cancer. In: Tumor Board Review. Demos Medical: New York, 72-80, 2012.
- Saura C, Vilar E, Macarulla T, Casado E, Ramos FJ, Capdevila J, Taberno J. Chapter 4: Targeted therapies in gastroesophageal cancer: present and future. In: Gastric Cancer Research Trends. Nova Science Publishers: New York, 107-127, 2007.
- Vilar E, Sastre J, Tabernero J.. [Chemotherapy and biologic treatments of gastrointestinal neuroendocrine tumors]. In: [Handbook of diagnosis and treatment of Neuroendocrine Tumors. GETNE Group]. GETNE Group, 2006.
- Carulla J, Vilar E, Saura C. [Assessment of nutritional status]. In: Anorexia and Cachexia Handbook. SEOM: Madrid, 107 – 120 (chapter in spanish), 2005.
Letters to the Editor
- You YN, Rodriguez-Bigas MA, Das P, Healy M, Chiang YJ, George T, Vilar E. Comment on "A National Cancer Database Analysis of Microsatellite Instability and Pathologic Complete Response in Locally Advanced Rectal Cancer". Ann Surg.
- Mork ME, You YN, Vilar E. Reply to L.B. Saltz. J Clin Oncol 34: 1560-1, 2016.
- Vilar E, Balmaña J, Espín E. BRAF mutations in colorectal carcinoma suggest two entities of microsatellite-unstable tumors. Cancer 106: 2528-9; author reply 2529, 2006.
- Vilar E, Tabernero J, Casado E, Macarulla T, Ramos FJ, Martinelli E, Saura C. Lack of efficacy of streptozocin and doxorubicin in patients with advanced pancreatic endocrine tumors. Am J Clin Oncol 28: 424, 2005.
Grant & Contract Support
| Title: | Developing Targeted Therapies for Microsatellite Instable Colorectal Cancers |
| Funding Source: | American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) |
| Role: | Principal Investigator |
| Title: | Research Initiation Funds |
| Funding Source: | The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center |
| Role: | Principal Investigator |
| Title: | Discovering New Chemopreventive Approaches in Familial Adenomatous Polyposis |
| Funding Source: | NIH/NCI |
| Role: | Principal Investigator |
| Title: | Discovering new Targets for Chemoprevention in Familial Adenomatous Polyposis |
| Funding Source: | Duncan Family Institute |
| Role: | Principal Investigator |
| Title: | A phase Ib biomarker trial of Naproxen in patients at risk for DNA Mismatch Repair Deficient Colorectal Cancer |
| Funding Source: | NIH/NCI |
| Role: | Principal Investigator |
| Title: | Clinical Impact of Multi-gene Sequencing Panel Among Young Adults with Colorectal Cancer |
| Funding Source: | Clinical Innovator Award |
| Role: | Collaborator |
| Title: | TORFP NN-2019, “Core Infrastructure Support” |
| Funding Source: | NIH/NCI |
| Role: | Co-Investigator |
| Title: | Uncovering the Role of Colorectal Stem Cells on Disease Penetrance in Lynch Syndrome |
| Funding Source: | NIH/NCI |
| Role: | Principal Investigator |
| Title: | CCAR2 as a Target for Prevention of Colorectal Cancer |
| Funding Source: | NIH/NCI |
| Role: | Co-Investigator |
| Title: | A Phase II Enrichment Study of Panitumumab as a Single Agent or in Combination with Trametinib in Cetuximab-Refractory Stage IV Colorectal Cancer Patients |
| Funding Source: | NIH/NCI |
| Role: | Co-Investigator |
| Title: | Determination of Dosing Regimens of Erlotinib in Combination with Sulindac for Prevention of Colorectal Cancer While Reducing Agent Toxicity |
| Funding Source: | NIH/NCI |
| Role: | Co-Principal Investigator |
| Title: | Uncovering Gene Expression Differences between Benign and Premalignant Colorectal Polyps |
| Funding Source: | NIH/NCI |
| Role: | Principal Investigator |
| Title: | Genetic and Dietary Interactions in MMR Deficient Colon Tumorigenesis |
| Funding Source: | NIH/NCI |
| Role: | Co-Investigator |
| Title: | Neoantigen Vaccination for Lynch Syndrome Immunoprevention |
| Funding Source: | NIH/NCI |
| Role: | Co-Principal Investigator |
| Title: | Liquid biopsies in Early Diagnosis of Colorectal Cancer |
| Funding Source: | Rising Tide Foundation |
| Role: | Co-Investigator |
| Title: | Preclinical PREVENT Cancer Program: Optimization of Dosing Regimens of Sulindac in Combination with Erlotinib for Small Intestinal and Colon Cancer Prevention |
| Funding Source: | NIH/NCI |
| Role: | Co-Principal Investigator |
| Title: | Cancer Immune-Interception in a Spontaneous Non-Human Primate Model of Lynch Syndrome |
| Funding Source: | NIH/NCI |
| Role: | Principal Investigator |