Positions
Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center
- Assistant Professor of Oncology
- Director, Office of International Collaborations
- Department of Educational Affairs
Publications
Azrak RG, Cao S, Durrani FA, Toth K, Bhattacharya A, Rustum YM. Augmented therapeutic efficacy of irinotecan is associated with enhanced drug accumulation. Cancer Lett. 2011 Dec 8;311(2):219-29.
Ghadersohi A, Sharma S, Zhang S, Azrak RG, Wilding GE, Manjili MH, Li F. Prostate-derived Ets transcription factor (PDEF) is a potential prognostic marker in patients with prostate cancer. Prostate. 2011 Aug 1;71(11):1178-88.
Saifo MS, Rempinski DR Jr, Rustum YM, Azrak RG. Targeting the oncogenic protein beta-catenin to enhance chemotherapy outcome against solid human cancers. Mol Cancer. 2010 Dec 2;9:310.
Ling X, He X, Apontes P, Cao F, Azrak RG, Li F. Enhancing effectiveness of the MDR-sensitive compound T138067 using advanced treatment with negative modulators of the drug-resistant protein survivin. Am J Transl Res. 2009 Jul 15;1(4):393-405.
Zhang Q, Azrak RG. The effect of methylseleninic acid on paclitaxel efficacy in A2780 ovarian cancer cells. J Nanjing Medical University. 2009 Mar; 23 (2): 111-116.
Ghadersohi A, Odunsi K, Zhang S, Azrak RG, Bundy BN, Manjili MH, Li F. Prostate-derived Ets transcription factor as a favorable prognostic marker in ovarian cancer patients. Int J Cancer. 2008 Sep 15;123(6):1376-84.
Azrak RG, Frank CL, Ghadersohi A, Rustum YM. Silencing survivin results in synergy between methylseleninic acid and paclitaxel against skov3 ovarian cancer cells. Cancer Biol Ther. 2008 Dec;7(12):1901-8.
Azrak RG, Cao S, Pendyala L, Durrani FA, Fakih M, Combs GF Jr, Prey J, Smith PF, Rustum YM. Efficacy of increasing the therapeutic index of irinotecan, plasma and tissue selenium concentrations is methylselenocysteine dose dependent. Biochem Pharmacol. 2007 May 1;73(9):1280-7.
Fakih MG, Pendyala L, Smith PF, Creaven PJ, Reid ME, Badmaev V, Azrak RG, Prey JD, Lawrence D, Rustum YM. A phase I and pharmacokinetic study of fixed-dose selenomethionine and irinotecan in solid tumors. Clin Cancer Res. 2006 Feb 15;12(4):1237-44.
Yin MB, Li ZR, Tóth K, Cao S, Durrani FA, Hapke G, Bhattacharya A, Azrak RG, Frank C, Rustum YM. Potentiation of irinotecan sensitivity by Se-methylselenocysteine in an in vivo tumor model is associated with downregulation of cyclooxygenase-2, inducible nitric oxide synthase, and hypoxia-inducible factor 1alpha expression, resulting in reduced angiogenesis. Oncogene. 2006 Apr 20;25(17):2509-19.
Azrak RG, Frank CL, Ling X, Slocum HK, Li F, Foster BA, Rustum YM. The mechanism of methylselenocysteine and docetaxel synergistic activity in prostate cancer cells. Mol Cancer Ther. 2006 Oct;5(10):2540-8.
Azrak RG, Yu J, Pendyala L, Smith PF, Cao S, Li X, Shannon WD, Durrani FA, McLeod HL, Rustum YM. Irinotecan pharmacokinetic and pharmacogenomic alterations induced by methylselenocysteine in human head and neck xenograft tumors. Mol Cancer Ther. 2005 May;4(5):843-54.
Azrak RG, Cao S, Slocum HK, Tóth K, Durrani FA, Yin MB, Pendyala L, Zhang W, McLeod HL, Rustum YM. Therapeutic synergy between irinotecan and 5-fluorouracil against human tumor xenografts. Clin Cancer Res. 2004 Feb 1;10(3):1121-9.
Bhattacharya A, Tóth K, Mazurchuk R, Spernyak JA, Slocum HK, Pendyala L, Azrak R, Cao S, Durrani FA, Rustum YM. Lack of microvessels in well-differentiated regions of human head and neck squamous cell carcinoma A253 associated with functional magnetic resonance imaging detectable hypoxia, limited drug delivery, and resistance to irinotecan therapy. Clin Cancer Res. 2004 Dec 1;10(23):8005-17.
Yin MB, Hapke G, Wu J, Azrak RG, Frank C, Wrzosek C, Rustum YM. Chk1 signaling pathways that mediated G(2)M checkpoint in relation to the cellular resistance to the novel topoisomerase I poison BNP1350. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2002 Jul 12;295(2):435-44.
Yin M, Hapke G, Guo B, Azrak RG, Frank C, Rustum YM. The Chk1-Cdc25C regulation is involved in sensitizing A253 cells to a novel topoisomerase I inhibitor BNP1350 by bax gene transfer. Oncogene. 2001 Aug 30;20(38):5249-57.
Guo B, Cao S, Tóth K, Azrak RG, Rustum YM. Overexpression of Bax enhances antitumor activity of chemotherapeutic agents in human head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Clin Cancer Res. 2000 Feb;6(2):718-24.
Yin MB, Guo B, Vanhoefer U, Azrak RG, Minderman H, Frank C, Wrzosek C, Slocum HK, Rustum YM. Characterization of protein kinase chk1 essential for the cell cycle checkpoint after exposure of human head and neck carcinoma A253 cells to a novel topoisomerase I inhibitor BNP1350. Mol Pharmacol. 2000 Mar;57(3):453-9.
Guo B, Yin MB, Tóth K, Cao S, Azrak RG, Rustum YM. Dimerization of mitochondrial Bax is associated with increased drug response in Bax-transfected A253 cells. Oncol Res. 1999;11(2):91-9.