Scholars@Duke

• Background
• 

  Education, Training, & Certifications

  • Hematology-Oncology Fellowship, Duke University School of Medicine 2015 - 2018
  • Internal Medicine Residency, University of Maryland School of Medicine 2012 - 2015
  • M.D., Thomas Jefferson University, Sidney Kimmel Medical College 2012
• 

  Previous Appointments & Affiliations

  • Assistant Professor of Medicine, Medicine, Medical Oncology, Medicine 2021 - 2022
  • Assistant Professor of Medicine, Medicine, Medical Oncology, Medicine 2018 - 2020
• Research
• 

  Selected Grants

  • BRIDGET: Secondary BRain metastases prevention after Isolated intracranial progression on Trastuzumab/Pertuzumab or T-DM1 in patients with aDvanced human epidermal Growth factor receptor 2+ brEast cancer with the addition of Tucatinib awarded by Hoosier Cancer Research Network, Inc 2022 - 2027
  • Multicenter Open Label Phase Ib/II Trial of Abemaciclib and Elacestrant in Patients with Brain Metastasis due to HR+/Her2- Breast Cancer awarded by Criterium, Inc 2021 - 2026
  • A Phase 1, Multicenter, Open-Label Study to Determine the Safety, Tolerability, Pharmacokinetics, and Preliminary Efficacy of Combinations of ABBV-927 with ABBV-368, Budigalimab (ABBV-181) and/or Chemotherapy in Subjects with Locally Advanced or Meta awarded by AbbVie Inc. 2020 - 2025
  • A Phase 1a/1b Study of LY3484356 Administered as Monotherapy and in Combination with Abemaciclib to Patients with ER+, HER2-Locally Advanced or Metastatic Breast Cancer awarded by Eli Lilly and Company 2020 - 2025
  • Sermonix SMX 18-001 awarded by Sermonix Pharmaceuticals 2020 - 2025
  • Evaluation of the effects of endocrine therapy and abemaciclib on host and tumor immune cell repertoire/function in advanced ER+/HER2- breast cancer awarded by Eli Lilly and Company 2020 - 2025
  • A Randomized, Multicenter, Double-blind, Placebo-controlled Phase 3 Study of Nivolumab VersusPlacebo in Combination With Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy and Adjuvant Endocrine Therapy in Patients WithHigh-risk, Estrogen Receptor-Positive (ER+), Human Epider awarded by Bristol-Myers Squibb Company 2019 - 2024
  • Cancer cell intrinsic and extrinsic actions of steroid hormones in breast tumors awarded by Department of Defense 2018 - 2023
  • Phase II Multicenter Study of Durvalumab (MEDI4736) and Olaparib in PlatinumTreated Advanced Triple Negative Breast Cancer ¿ DORA awarded by Duke University 2018 - 2022
  • Targeting tumor-specific apoptosis regulation in advanced ER+ breast cancer awarded by Department of Defense 2019 - 2022
  • TNBC Study awarded by AstraZeneca AB 2017 - 2021
  • Determining the clinical efficacy and predictive biomarkers of mirvetuximab soravtansine (IMGN853) in folate receptor alpha (FRA) expressing, chemotherapy refractory triple negative breast cancer awarded by National Comprehensive Cancer Network 2016 - 2019
• 

  External Relationships

  • AstraZeneca
  • Daiichi Sankyo Co., Ltd
  • Foundation Medicine, Inc.
  • Genomic Health, Inc.,
  • Novartis
  • Seagen
  • Sermonix Pharmaceuticals
  • Tempus
• Publications & Artistic Works
• 

  Selected Publications

  • Academic Articles

    • Rader, Ryan K., Carey K. Anders, Nancy U. Lin, and Sarah L. Sammons. “Available Systemic Treatments and Emerging Therapies for Breast Cancer Brain Metastases.” Curr Treat Options Oncol 24, no. 6 (June 2023): 611–27. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11864-023-01086-z.
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    • Mittal, A., C. Molto Valiente, F. Tamimi, I. Schlam, S. Sammons, S. M. Tolaney, and P. Tarantino. “Filling the Gap after CDK4/6 Inhibitors: Novel Endocrine and Biologic Treatment Options for Metastatic Hormone Receptor Positive Breast Cancer.” Cancers 15, no. 7 (April 1, 2023). https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers15072015.
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    • Alder, Laura, Dario Trapani, Claire Bradbury, Amanda E. D. Van Swearingen, Sara M. Tolaney, Mustafa Khasraw, Carey K. Anders, et al. “Durable responses in patients with HER2+ breast cancer and leptomeningeal metastases treated with trastuzumab deruxtecan.” Npj Breast Cancer 9, no. 1 (March 30, 2023): 19. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41523-023-00519-0.
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    • Kabraji, Sheheryar, Jing Ni, Sarah Sammons, Tianyu Li, Amanda E. D. Van Swearingen, Yanzhi Wang, Alyssa Pereslete, et al. “Preclinical and Clinical Efficacy of Trastuzumab Deruxtecan in Breast Cancer Brain Metastases.” Clin Cancer Res 29, no. 1 (January 4, 2023): 174–82. https://doi.org/10.1158/1078-0432.CCR-22-1138.
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    • Sammons, Sarah, Heather Moore, Jaycee Cushman, and Erika Hamilton. “Efficacy, safety and toxicity management of adjuvant abemaciclib in early stage HR+/HER2- high-risk breast cancer.” Expert Rev Anticancer Ther 22, no. 8 (August 2022): 805–14. https://doi.org/10.1080/14737140.2022.2093719.
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    • Alder, Laura, Sarah Sammons, Amanda E. D. Van Swearingen, and Carey K. Anders. “Systemic management of brain metastases in HER2+ breast cancer in 2022.” Clin Adv Hematol Oncol 20, no. 5 (May 2022): 325–36.
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    • Prakash, Ipshita, N Ben Neely, Samantha M. Thomas, Sarah Sammons, Rachel C. Blitzblau, Gayle A. DiLalla, Terry Hyslop, et al. “Utilization of neoadjuvant chemotherapy in high-risk, node-negative early breast cancer.” Cancer Med 11, no. 4 (February 2022): 1099–1108. https://doi.org/10.1002/cam4.4517.
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    • Marks, Caitlin E., Samantha M. Thomas, Oluwadamilola M. Fayanju, Gayle DiLalla, Sarah Sammons, E Shelley Hwang, and Jennifer K. Plichta. “Metastatic breast cancer: Who benefits from surgery?” Am J Surg 223, no. 1 (January 2022): 81–93. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amjsurg.2021.07.018.
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    • Sammons, Sarah, Amanda E. D. Van Swearingen, Caroline Chung, and Carey K. Anders. “Advances in the management of breast cancer brain metastases.” Neurooncol Adv 3, no. Suppl 5 (November 2021): v63–74. https://doi.org/10.1093/noajnl/vdab119.
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    • Fernandes, Louis E., Caroline G. Epstein, Alexandria M. Bobe, Joshua S. K. Bell, Martin C. Stumpe, Michael E. Salazar, Ameen A. Salahudeen, et al. “Real-world Evidence of Diagnostic Testing and Treatment Patterns in US Patients With Breast Cancer With Implications for Treatment Biomarkers From RNA Sequencing Data.” Clin Breast Cancer 21, no. 4 (August 2021): e340–61. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clbc.2020.11.012.
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    • Sammons, Sarah, Amanda E. D. Van Swearingen, and Carey K. Anders. “Receptor discordance in breast cancer brain metastases: when knowledge is power.” Neuro Oncol 22, no. 8 (August 17, 2020): 1060–61. https://doi.org/10.1093/neuonc/noaa131.
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    • Andreano, Kaitlyn J., Jennifer G. Baker, Sunghee Park, Rachid Safi, Sandeep Artham, Steffi Oesterreich, Rinath Jeselsohn, et al. “The Dysregulated Pharmacology of Clinically Relevant ESR1 Mutants is Normalized by Ligand-activated WT Receptor.” Mol Cancer Ther 19, no. 7 (July 2020): 1395–1405. https://doi.org/10.1158/1535-7163.MCT-19-1148.
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    • Sammons, Sarah, Mina S. Sedrak, and Gretchen G. Kimmick. “The Evolving Complexity of Treating Hormone Receptor-Positive, Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor-2 (HER2)-Negative Breast Cancer: Special Considerations in Older Breast Cancer Patients-Part I: Early-Stage Disease.” Drugs Aging 37, no. 5 (May 2020): 331–48. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40266-020-00748-z.
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    • Hill, Addie, Eutiquio Gutierrez, Jennifer Liu, Sarah Sammons, Gretchen Kimmick, and Mina S. Sedrak. “The Evolving Complexity of Treating Hormone Receptor-Positive, Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor-2 (HER2)-Negative Breast Cancer: Special Considerations in Older Breast Cancer Patients-Part II: Metastatic Disease.” Drugs Aging 37, no. 5 (May 2020): 349–58. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40266-020-00758-x.
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    • Sammons, Sarah, Mythili Shastry, Susan Dent, Carey Anders, and Erika Hamilton. “Practical Treatment Strategies and Future Directions After Progression While Receiving CDK4/6 Inhibition and Endocrine Therapy in Advanced HR+/HER2- Breast Cancer.” Clin Breast Cancer 20, no. 1 (February 2020): 1–11. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clbc.2019.06.017.
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    • Sammons, S., A. E. D. Van Swearingen, and C. K. Anders. “The Promise of Immunotherapy for Breast Cancer Brain Metastases.” Current Breast Cancer Reports 11, no. 4 (December 1, 2019): 241–47. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12609-019-00335-1.
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    • Zhu, Li, Jessica L. Narloch, Sayali Onkar, Marion Joy, Gloria Broadwater, Catherine Luedke, Allison Hall, et al. “Metastatic breast cancers have reduced immune cell recruitment but harbor increased macrophages relative to their matched primary tumors.” J Immunother Cancer 7, no. 1 (October 18, 2019): 265. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40425-019-0755-1.
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    • Sambade, Maria J., Grace Prince, Allison M. Deal, Dimitri Trembath, Megan McKee, Amy Garrett, Kevin Keith, et al. “Examination and prognostic implications of the unique microenvironment of breast cancer brain metastases.” Breast Cancer Res Treat 176, no. 2 (July 2019): 321–28. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10549-019-05211-1.
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    • Dent, Susan, Chiara Melloni, Josee Ivars, Sarah Sammons, and Gretchen Kimmick. “Cardiotoxicities of Modern Treatments in Breast Cancer.” Curr Treat Options Cardiovasc Med 21, no. 7 (June 15, 2019): 34. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11936-019-0738-z.
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    • Sammons, Sarah, Noah S. Kornblum, and Kimberly L. Blackwell. “Fulvestrant-Based Combination Therapy for Second-Line Treatment of Hormone Receptor-Positive Advanced Breast Cancer.” Target Oncol 14, no. 1 (February 2019): 1–12. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11523-018-0587-9.
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    • Sammons, Sarah, Noah S. Kornblum, and Kimberly L. Blackwell. “Correction to: Fulvestrant-Based Combination Therapy for Second-Line Treatment of Hormone Receptor-Positive Advanced Breast Cancer.” Target Oncol 14, no. 1 (February 2019): 13. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11523-018-0614-x.
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    • Force, Jeremy, Lynn J. Howie, Sara E. Abbott, Rex Bentley, P Kelly Marcom, Gretchen Kimmick, Kelly Westbrook, et al. “Early Stage HER2-Positive Breast Cancers Not Achieving a pCR From Neoadjuvant Trastuzumab- or Pertuzumab-Based Regimens Have an Immunosuppressive Phenotype.” Clin Breast Cancer 18, no. 5 (October 2018): 410–17. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clbc.2018.02.010.
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    • Narloch, Jessica L., S Harrison Farber, Sarah Sammons, Frances McSherry, James E. Herndon, Jenny K. Hoang, Fang-Fang Yin, et al. “Biopsy of enlarging lesions after stereotactic radiosurgery for brain metastases frequently reveals radiation necrosis.” Neuro Oncol 19, no. 10 (October 1, 2017): 1391–97. https://doi.org/10.1093/neuonc/nox090.
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    • Sammons, Sarah L., Donna L. Topping, and Kimberly L. Blackwell. “HR+, HER2- Advanced Breast Cancer and CDK4/6 Inhibitors: Mode of Action, Clinical Activity, and Safety Profiles.” Curr Cancer Drug Targets 17, no. 7 (2017): 637–49. https://doi.org/10.2174/1568009617666170330120452.
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    • Witkiewicz, A. K., A. Dasgupta, S. Sammons, O. Er, M. B. Potoczek, F. Guiles, F. Sotgia, J. R. Brody, E. P. Mitchell, and M. P. Lisanti. “Loss of stromal caveolin-1 expression predicts poor clinical outcome in triple negative and basal-like breast cancers.” Cancer Biology and Therapy 10, no. 2 (July 15, 2010): 135–43. https://doi.org/10.4161/cbt.10.2.11983.
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  • Book Sections

    • Sammons, S., M. McNamara, A. K. S. Salama, and J. Crawford. “Immune checkpoint inhibition.” In Side Effects of Medical Cancer Therapy: Prevention and Treatment: Second Edition, 315–53, 2018. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-70253-7_12.
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    • Sammons, S., and K. Blackwell. “HER2-positive breast cancer.” In HER2-Positive Breast Cancer, 63–74, 2018. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-323-58122-6.00004-0.
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  • Conference Papers

    • Noteware, Laura, Gloria Broadwater, Nicole Dalal, Laura Alder, James E. Herndon Ii, Scott Floyd, William Giles, Amanda E. D. Van Swearingen, Carey K. Anders, and Sarah Sammons. “Brain metastasis as the first and only metastatic relapse site portends worse survival in patients with advanced HER2 + breast cancer.” In Breast Cancer Res Treat, 197:425–34, 2023. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10549-022-06799-7.
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    • Taskindoust, Mahsa, Samantha M. Thomas, Sarah L. Sammons, Oluwadamilola M. Fayanju, Gayle DiLalla, E Shelley Hwang, and Jennifer K. Plichta. “Survival Outcomes Among Patients with Metastatic Breast Cancer: Review of 47,000 Patients.” In Ann Surg Oncol, 28:7441–49, 2021. https://doi.org/10.1245/s10434-021-10227-3.
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