Hope S. Rugo, MD

Winterhof Family Endowed Professorship in Breast Cancer, UCSF

Professor, Department of Medicine (Hematology/Oncology); Director, Breast Oncology and Clinical Trials Education; and Medical Director of Cancer Infusion Services, UCSF

Cancer Center Program Membership

Breast Oncology

Research Summary

Hope S. Rugo, MD, FASCO, is professor of medicine in the Division of Hematology and Oncology at the University of California San Francisco (UCSF) Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, where she is also the director of Breast Oncology and Clinical Trials Education. Dr. Rugo joined the Breast Care Center in 1999 after a decade of experience at University of California San Francisco in malignant hematology and bone marrow transplantation for a variety of diseases, including breast cancer. She entered the field of breast cancer in order to incorporate novel therapies based on an understanding of the biology of cancer with excellent quality of care into the treatment of women with breast cancer.

Dr. Rugo is the Director of Breast Oncology and Clinical Trials Education at the UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center. She is a principal investigator of multiple clinical trials focusing on combining novel targeted therapeutics with standard treatment to improve the treatment of both early and late stage breast cancer, and has published widely in this area. Her current research interests include immunotherapy and combinations of targeted agents in the treatment of breast cancer to overcome resistance. She was a member of the steering committee for the EMBRACA and ABRAZO studies that evaluated the efficacy of the PARP inhibitor talazoparib in patients with metastatic breast cancer and germline mutations in BRCA1 and 2. In addition, Dr. Rugo has conducted a number of studies focusing on reducing toxicity from therapy, resulting in approval of scalp cooling to reduce chemotherapy induced hair loss, and a steroid mouthwash to reduce targeted agent stomatitis. She is an investigator and the chair of the Safety Committee for the multicenter adaptively randomized phase II I-SPY2 trial, and serves on the Novel Agents Committee. Dr. Rugo is the co-chair of the Triple Negative Working Group and an active member of the Translational Breast Cancer Research Consortium (TBCRC), and is the principal investigator of several TBCRC trials including a multi-center immunotherapy trial funded by the Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF). She is an active member of the Alliance (formerly CALGB) Breast Committee, as well as ASCO, where she serves on the Guidelines Committee and as an editor for the Education Committee.

In addition to her research, Dr. Rugo is an active clinician, and is committed to education, regularly lecturing locally, nationally and internationally on subjects relating to the treatment of and supportive care for breast cancer. At UCSF, Dr. Rugo runs the Breast Forum, an open bimonthly evening educational session for breast cancer patients, families and friends from throughout the bay area.

Dr. Rugo graduated from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine in 1983. She completed a residency in internal medicine and primary care followed by a fellowship in hematology and oncology at the University of California San Francisco. She was a post-doctoral fellow in immunology participating in laboratory research at Stanford University from 1988-1990. In 1990, Dr. Rugo joined the faculty at UCSF in the Division of Hematology and Oncology. Dr. Rugo recognized for her excellence in both patient care and in teaching of both medical students and training physicians. She has received several awards including the Bank of America Gianini Foundation Award and a UCSF Clinical Cancer Center Investigator Research Program intra-mural award. In 2006, she received an honor for her work in Breast Cancer Research by the Friends of the Breast Care Center and received the Cancer Care physician of the year award in 2010 by the Cancer Care National Organization.

Research Funding

  • December 1, 1974 - March 31, 2009 - General Clinical Research Center , Co-Investigator . Sponsor: NIH, Sponsor Award ID: M01RR000079

Education

Tufts University, BS, 1979, Chemistry
University of Pennsylvania, MD, 1984, Medicine
University of California San Francisco, 1987, Resident, Internal Medicine
University of California San Francisco, 1990, Fellow, Hematology/Oncology
Stanford University, 1988-90, Postdoctoral Fellowship, Microbiology/Immunology
DNAX Institute of Cellular and Molecular Biology, 1989-90, Visiting Scientist, Immunology

Honors & Awards

  • College
    Summa Cum Laude, Phi Beta Kappa, Sigma Xi; Victor Prather Prize for Excellence in Scientific Research; Durkee Scholarship for promise and achievement in the field of chemistry; Max Tishler Prize Scholarship for outstanding achievement in the sciences
  • Medical School
    Henry Luce Scholar in the Philippines; Certificate of Commendation, Philadelphia Area Project on Occupational Safety and Health; National Health Service Corps Scholarship; Janet M. Glasgow Memorial Achievement Citation
  • 1990
    Awarded Bank of America Gianini Foundation Research Fellowship

Selected Publications

  1. Vidula N, Yau C, Rugo HS. Glutaminase (GLS1) gene expression in primary breast cancer. Breast Cancer. 2023 Sep 07.  View on PubMed
  2. Rugo HS, Bardia A, Marmé F, Cortés J, Schmid P, Loirat D, Trédan O, Ciruelos E, Dalenc F, Gómez Pardo P, Jhaveri KL, Delaney R, Valdez T, Wang H, Motwani M, Yoon OK, Verret W, Tolaney SM. Overall survival with sacituzumab govitecan in hormone receptor-positive and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative metastatic breast cancer (TROPiCS-02): a randomised, open-label, multicentre, phase 3 trial. Lancet. 2023 Aug 23.  View on PubMed
  3. Cardoso F, Rihani J, Harmer V, Harbeck N, Casas A, Rugo HS, Fasching PA, Moore A, de Courcy J, Pathak P, Haftchenary S, Aubel D, Schumacher-Wulf E. Quality of Life and Treatment-Related Side Effects in Patients With HR+/HER2- Advanced Breast Cancer: Findings From a Multicountry Survey. Oncologist. 2023 Jul 31.  View on PubMed
  4. Rugo HS, Liu X, Li B, McRoy L, Chen C, Layman RM, Brufsky A. Real-World Effectiveness of Palbociclib Plus Aromatase Inhibitors in African American Patients With Metastatic Breast Cancer. Oncologist. 2023 Jul 24.  View on PubMed
  5. Litton JK, Regan MM, Pusztai L, Rugo HS, Tolaney SM, Garrett-Mayer E, Amiri-Kordestani L, Basho RK, Best AF, Boileau JF, Denkert C, Foster JC, Harbeck N, Jacene HA, King TA, Mason G, O'Sullivan CC, Prowell TM, Richardson AL, Sepulveda KA, Smith ML, Tjoe JA, Turashvili G, Woodward WA, Butler LP, Schwartz EI, Korde LA. Standardized Definitions for Efficacy End Points in Neoadjuvant Breast Cancer Clinical Trials: NeoSTEEP. J Clin Oncol. 2023 09 20; 41(27):4433-4442.  View on PubMed
  6. Salvestrini V, Kim K, Caini S, Alkner S, Ekholm M, Skyttä T, Becherini C, Coles CE, Kaidar-Person O, Offersen B, de Azambuja E, Visani L, Cortes J, Harbeck N, Rugo HS, Isacke CM, Marangoni E, Morandi A, Lambertini M, Poortmans P, Livi L, Meattini I. Safety profile of trastuzumab-emtansine (T-DM1) with concurrent radiation therapy: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Radiother Oncol. 2023 09; 186:109805.  View on PubMed
  7. Jacob S, Johnson M, Roque B, Quintal L, Rugo HS, Melisko M, Chien AJ. Crofelemer for the Management of Neratinib-Associated Diarrhea in Patients With HER2+ Early-Stage Breast Cancer. Clin Breast Cancer. 2023 Jul 04.  View on PubMed
  8. Donohue JF, Elborn JS, Lansberg P, Javed A, Tesfaye S, Rugo H, Duddi SRD, Jithoo N, Huang PH, Subramaniam K, Ramanjinappa N, Koltun A, Melamed S, Chan JCN. Bridging the "Know-Do" Gaps in Five Non-Communicable Diseases Using a Common Framework Driven by Implementation Science. J Healthc Leadersh. 2023; 15:103-119.  View on PubMed
  9. Rugo HS. Highlights from the 2023 American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting: breast cancer. Clin Adv Hematol Oncol. 2023 07; 21(7):352-354.  View on PubMed
  10. Bardia A, Jhaveri K, Kalinsky K, Pernas S, Tsurutani J, Xu B, Hamilton E, Im SA, Nowecki Z, Sohn J, Laurentiis M, Jañez NM, Adamo B, Lee KS, Jung KH, Rubovszky G, Tseng LM, Lu YS, Yuan Y, Maxwell MJ, Haddad V, Khan SS, Rugo HS, Pistilli B. TROPION-Breast01: Datopotamab deruxtecan vs chemotherapy in pre-treated inoperable or metastatic HR+/HER2- breast cancer. Future Oncol. 2023 Jun 30.  View on PubMed
  11. Becherini C, Visani L, Caini S, Bhattacharya IS, Kirby AM, Nader Marta G, Morgan G, Salvestrini V, Coles CE, Cortes J, Curigliano G, de Azambuja E, Harbeck N, Isacke CM, Kaidar-Person O, Marangoni E, Offersen B, Rugo HS, Morandi A, Lambertini M, Poortmans P, Livi L, Meattini I. Safety profile of cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) 4/6 inhibitors with concurrent radiation therapy: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Cancer Treat Rev. 2023 Sep; 119:102586.  View on PubMed
  12. Schmid P, Cortes J, Joaquim A, Jañez NM, Morales S, Díaz-Redondo T, Blau S, Neven P, Lemieux J, García-Sáenz JÁ, Hart L, Biyukov T, Baktash N, Massey D, Burris HA, Rugo HS. XENERA-1: a randomised double-blind Phase II trial of xentuzumab in combination with everolimus and exemestane versus everolimus and exemestane in patients with hormone receptor-positive/HER2-negative metastatic breast cancer and non-visceral disease. Breast Cancer Res. 2023 06 12; 25(1):67.  View on PubMed
  13. Nylander AN, Singh J, Poole S, Anderson A, Marrie RA, Rugo H, Bove R. Clinical course of multiple sclerosis and patient experiences during breast cancer treatment. Mult Scler. 2023 07; 29(8):967-978.  View on PubMed
  14. Turner NC, Oliveira M, Howell SJ, Dalenc F, Cortes J, Gomez Moreno HL, Hu X, Jhaveri K, Krivorotko P, Loibl S, Morales Murillo S, Okera M, Park YH, Sohn J, Toi M, Tokunaga E, Yousef S, Zhukova L, de Bruin EC, Grinsted L, Schiavon G, Foxley A, Rugo HS, CAPItello-291 Study Group. Capivasertib in Hormone Receptor-Positive Advanced Breast Cancer. N Engl J Med. 2023 Jun 01; 388(22):2058-2070.  View on PubMed
  15. Gradishar WJ, Moran MS, Abraham J, Abramson V, Aft R, Agnese D, Allison KH, Anderson B, Burstein HJ, Chew H, Dang C, Elias AD, Giordano SH, Goetz MP, Goldstein LJ, Hurvitz SA, Jankowitz RC, Javid SH, Krishnamurthy J, Leitch AM, Lyons J, Mortimer J, Patel SA, Pierce LJ, Rosenberger LH, Rugo HS, Schneider B, Smith ML, Soliman H, Stringer-Reasor EM, Telli ML, Wei M, Wisinski KB, Young JS, Yeung K, Dwyer MA, Kumar R. NCCN Guidelines® Insights: Breast Cancer, Version 4.2023. J Natl Compr Canc Netw. 2023 06; 21(6):594-608.  View on PubMed
  16. Rugo HS, Crossno CL, Gesthalter YB, Kelley K, Moore HB, Rimawi MF, Westbrook KE, Buys SS. Real-World Perspectives and Practices for Pneumonitis/Interstitial Lung Disease Associated With Trastuzumab Deruxtecan Use in Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor 2-Expressing Metastatic Breast Cancer. JCO Oncol Pract. 2023 08; 19(8):539-546.  View on PubMed
  17. Gradishar WJ, O'Regan R, Rimawi MF, Nordstrom JL, Rosales MK, Rugo HS. Margetuximab in HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer. Future Oncol. 2023 May; 19(16):1099-1112.  View on PubMed
  18. Magbanua MJM, Brown Swigart L, Ahmed Z, Sayaman RW, Renner D, Kalashnikova E, Hirst GL, Yau C, Wolf DM, Li W, Delson AL, Asare S, Liu MC, Albain K, Chien AJ, Forero-Torres A, Isaacs C, Nanda R, Tripathy D, Rodriguez A, Sethi H, Aleshin A, Rabinowitz M, Perlmutter J, Symmans WF, Yee D, Hylton NM, Esserman LJ, DeMichele AM, Rugo HS, van 't Veer LJ. Clinical significance and biology of circulating tumor DNA in high-risk early-stage HER2-negative breast cancer receiving neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Cancer Cell. 2023 06 12; 41(6):1091-1102.e4.  View on PubMed
  19. Trapani D, Kraemer L, Rugo HS, Lin NU. Impact of Prior Authorization on Patient Access to Cancer Care. Am Soc Clin Oncol Educ Book. 2023 May; 43:e100036.  View on PubMed
  20. Im KW, Huppert LA, Malevanchik L, Rugo HS, Combes AJ, Campbell MJ, Krummel MF, Melisko ME. High-dimensional immune cell profiling of cerebrospinal fluid from patients with metastatic breast cancer and leptomeningeal disease. NPJ Breast Cancer. 2023 Apr 07; 9(1):22.  View on PubMed

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