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Erin Schenk, MD, PhD

Assistant Professor, Medicine-Medical Oncology

FacultyPhoto
Medical School
  • MD, Mayo Medical School (2011)
Graduate School
  • PhD, Mayo Graduate School (2011)
Residency
  • College of Medicine, Mayo Clinic Program, Internal Medicine (2014)
Fellowships
  • College of Medicine, Mayo Clinic (Rochester) Program, Hematology and Oncology (2018)
Languages English
Department Medicine-Medical Oncology

Professional Titles

  • Associate Professor of Medicine, Division of Medical Oncology

Recognitions

  • Translational Research Scholar, School of Medicine, University of Colorado (2022)
    The Translational Research Scholar Program aims to foster translational research among the School’s early career faculty, facilitating the pursuit of new lines of exploration and elevating and expanding the scope of their translational research.
  • Member, ASCO Expert Panel Therapy for Stage IV Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Without Driver Alterations, ASCO (2022)
    https://ascopubs.org/doi/10.1200/JCO.22.02121
  • Member, ASCO Expert Panel Therapy for Stage IV Non–Small-Cell Lung Cancer With Driver Alterations, ASCO (2022)
    https://ascopubs.org/doi/10.1200/JCO.22.02124
  • LUNGevity Career Development Award, LUNGevity (2021)
    This research grant provides significant funding for 3 years to promising early career investigators engaged in lung cancer research.
  • Paul Calabresi Career Development Award for Clinical Oncology K12, University of Colorado Cancer Center (2019)
  • Finalist, Immuno-Oncology Young Investigators' Forum (2018)
    Houston, TX
  • Outstanding Fellow Award, Highest Rated and Top Abstract, Minnesota Society of Clinical Oncology (2018)
    Minneapolis, MN
  • International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC) Academy Award, IASLC (2018)
    Toronto, Canada
  • IASLC Academy Award, IASLC (2017)
    Yokohama, Japan

Research Interests

My laboratory studies the lung cancer tumor microenvironment, a diverse collection of cell types that can be found in and around lung tumors. We are focused on the immune cells within the tumor and how specific subtypes can contribute to treatment resistance. Ultimately, we hope to use our findings to improve therapy for patients with lung cancer.

Publications

  • Patil T, Gao D, Watson A, Sakamoto M, Nie Y, Gibson A, Dean ML, Yoder BA, Miller E, Stalker M, Aisner DL, Bunn PA, Schenk EL, Marmarelis ME, Bennati C, Navani V, Zhang Y, Camidge DR. The efficacy of continuing osimertinib with platinum pemetrexed chemotherapy upon progression in patients with metastatic non-small cell lung cancer harboring sensitizing EGFR mutations. Lung Cancer. 2024 Nov 25;199:108040. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 39615411
  • Watson AS, Krause HB, Elliott A, Farrell A, Liu SV, Ma PC, VanderWalde A, Sledge GW, Spetzler D, Schenk EL, Camidge DR. Use of Oncogene Overlap by Tissue-Based Next-Generation Sequencing to Explore the Mutational Landscape and Survival Impact of HER2, KRAS and MET Copy-Number Gain in Nonsmall Cell Lung Cancer. Clin Lung Cancer. 2024 Dec;25(8):712-722.e1. PubMed PMID: 39384504
  • Blakely CM, Urisman A, Gubens MA, Mulvey CK, Allen GM, Shiboski SC, Rotow JK, Chakrabarti T, Kerr DL, Aredo JV, Bacaltos B, Gee M, Tan L, Jones KD, Devine WP, Doebele RC, Aisner DL, Patil T, Schenk EL, Bivona TG, Riess JW, Coleman M, Kratz JR, Jablons DM. Neoadjuvant Osimertinib for the Treatment of Stage I-IIIA Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor-Mutated Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: A Phase II Multicenter Study. J Clin Oncol. 2024 Sep 10;42(26):3105-3114. PubMed PMID: 39028931
  • Sigafoos AN, Tolosa EJ, Carr RM, Fernandez-Barrena MG, Almada LL, Pease DR, Hogenson TL, Raja Arul GL, Mousavi F, Sen S, Vera RE, Marks DL, Flores LF, LaRue-Nolan KC, Wu C, Bamlet WR, Vrabel AM, Sicotte H, Schenk EL, Smyrk TC, Zhang L, Rabe KG, Oberg AL, Zaphiropoulos PG, Chevet E, Graham RP, Hagen CE, di Magliano MP, Elsawa SF, Pin CL, Mao J, McWilliams RR, Fernandez-Zapico ME. KRAS Promotes GLI2-Dependent Transcription during Pancreatic Carcinogenesis. Cancer Res Commun. 2024 Jul 1;4(7):1677-1689. PubMed PMID: 38896052
  • Tsui DCC, Holt DE, Patil T, Staley A, Gao D, Kavanagh BD, Schenk EL, Rusthoven CG, Camidge DR. The Role of Local Therapy for Oligo-Progressive Disease in Oncogene-Addicted Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer. Adv Radiat Oncol. 2024 Jul;9(7):101516. PubMed PMID: 38868503
  • Owen DH, Jaiyesimi IA, Leighl NB, Ismaila N, Florez N, Puri S, Schenk EL, Schneider BJ, Patel JD. Therapy for Stage IV Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer With and Without Driver Alterations: ASCO Living Guideline Clinical Insights. JCO Oncol Pract. 2024 Jul;20(7):893-898. PubMed PMID: 38588478
  • Jaiyesimi IA, Leighl NB, Ismaila N, Alluri K, Florez N, Gadgeel S, Masters G, Schenk EL, Schneider BJ, Sequist L, Singh N, Bazhenova L, Blanchard E, Freeman-Daily J, Furuya N, Halmos B, Azar IH, Kuruvilla S, Mullane M, Naidoo J, Reuss JE, Spigel DR, Owen DH, Patel JD. Therapy for Stage IV Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Without Driver Alterations: ASCO Living Guideline, Version 2023.3. J Clin Oncol. 2024 Apr 10;42(11):e23-e43. PubMed PMID: 38417098
  • Jaiyesimi IA, Leighl NB, Ismaila N, Alluri K, Florez N, Gadgeel S, Masters G, Schenk EL, Schneider BJ, Sequist L, Singh N, Bazhenova L, Blanchard E, Freeman-Daily J, Furuya N, Halmos B, Azar IH, Kuruvilla S, Mullane M, Naidoo J, Reuss JE, Spigel DR, Owen DH, Patel JD. Therapy for Stage IV Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer With Driver Alterations: ASCO Living Guideline, Version 2023.3. J Clin Oncol. 2024 Apr 10;42(11):e1-e22. PubMed PMID: 38417091
  • Patil T, Staley A, Nie Y, Sakamoto M, Stalker M, Jurica JM, Koehler K, Cass A, Kuykendall H, Schmitt E, Filar E, Reventaite E, Davies KD, Nijmeh H, Haag M, Yoder BA, Bunn PA, Schenk EL, Aisner DL, Iams WT, Marmarelis ME, Camidge DR. The Efficacy and Safety of Treating Acquired MET Resistance Through Combinations of Parent and MET Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors in Patients With Metastatic Oncogene-Driven NSCLC. JTO Clin Res Rep. 2024 Feb;5(2):100637. PubMed PMID: 38361741
  • Priest K, Le A, Gebregzabheir A, Nijmeh H, Reis GB, Mandell M, Davies KD, Lawrence C, O'Donnell E, Doebele RC, Bao L, Aisner DL, Schenk EL. Evolution of acquired resistance in a ROS1(+) KRAS G12C(+) NSCLC through the MAPK pathway. NPJ Precis Oncol. 2023 Jan 23;7(1):9. PubMed PMID: 36690705
  • Langston J, Patil T, Ross Camidge D, Bunn PA, Schenk EL, Pacheco JM, Jurica J, Waxweiler TV, Kavanagh BD, Rusthoven CG. CNS Downstaging: An Emerging Treatment Paradigm for Extensive Brain Metastases in Oncogene-Addicted Lung Cancer. Lung Cancer. 2023 Feb 8;178:103-107. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 36809719
  • Li H, Liu J, Lan S, Zhong R, Cui Y, Christopoulos P, Schenk EL, Sasaki T, Cheng Y. An advanced NSCLC patient with ALK-RNF144A and HIP1-ALK fusions treated with ALK-TKI combination therapy: a case report. Transl Lung Cancer Res. 2023 Dec 26;12(12):2538-2549. PubMed PMID: 38205210
  • Franke AJ, Schenk EL. Re-ORIENT-ing antitumor immunity in EGFR-mutant non-small cell lung cancer: are antiangiogenics the key?. Chin Clin Oncol. 2023 Jun;12(3):31. PubMed PMID: 37164932
  • Schenk EL. Narrative review: immunotherapy in anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) lung cancer-current status and future directions. Transl Lung Cancer Res. 2023 Feb 28;12(2):322-336. PubMed PMID: 36895933
  • Langston J, Patil T, Ross Camidge D, Bunn PA, Schenk EL, Pacheco JM, Jurica J, Waxweiler TV, Kavanagh BD, Rusthoven CG. CNS Downstaging: An Emerging Treatment Paradigm for Extensive Brain Metastases in Oncogene-Addicted Lung Cancer. Lung Cancer. 2023 Apr;178:103-107. PubMed PMID: 36809719
  • Kleczko EK, Hinz TK, Nguyen TT, Gurule NJ, Navarro A, Le AT, Johnson AM, Kwak J, Polhac DI, Clambey ET, Weiser-Evans M, Merrick DT, Yang MC, Patil T, Schenk EL, Heasley LE, Nemenoff RA. Durable responses to alectinib in murine models of EML4-ALK lung cancer requires adaptive immunity. NPJ Precis Oncol. 2023 Feb 4;7(1):15. PubMed PMID: 36739466
  • Priest K, Le A, Gebregzabheir A, Nijmeh H, Reis GB, Mandell M, Davies KD, Lawrence C, O'Donnell E, Doebele RC, Bao L, Aisner DL, Schenk EL. Evolution of acquired resistance in a ROS1( ) KRAS G12C( ) NSCLC through the MAPK pathway. NPJ Precis Oncol. 2023 Jan 23;7(1):9. PubMed PMID: 36690705
  • Owen DH, Singh N, Ismaila N, Blanchard E, Celano P, Florez N, Jain D, Leighl NB, Mamdani H, Masters G, Moffitt PR, Naidoo J, Phillips T, Riely GJ, Robinson AG, Schenk E, Schneider BJ, Sequist L, Spigel DR, Jaiyesimi IA. Therapy for Stage IV Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer With Driver Alterations: ASCO Living Guideline, Version 2022.2. J Clin Oncol. 2023 Feb 10;41(5):e10-e20. PubMed PMID: 36534938
  • Owen DH, Singh N, Ismaila N, Blanchard E, Celano P, Florez N, Jain D, Leighl NB, Mamdani H, Masters G, Moffitt PR, Naidoo J, Phillips T, Riely GJ, Robinson AG, Schenk E, Schneider BJ, Sequist L, Spigel DR, Jaiyesimi IA. Therapy for Stage IV Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer Without Driver Alterations: ASCO Living Guideline, Version 2022.2. J Clin Oncol. 2023 Feb 10;41(5):e1-e9. PubMed PMID: 36534935
  • Vu T, Wrobel J, Bitler BG, Schenk EL, Jordan KR, Ghosh D. SPF: A spatial and functional data analytic approach to cell imaging data. PLoS Comput Biol. 2022 Jun;18(6):e1009486. PubMed PMID: 35704658
  • Schenk EL, Boland JM, Withers SG, Bulur PA, Dietz AB. Tumor Microenvironment CD14( ) Cells Correlate with Poor Overall Survival in Patients with Early-Stage Lung Adenocarcinoma. Cancers (Basel). 2022 Sep 16;14(18). PubMed PMID: 36139660
  • Seal S, Wrobel J, Johnson AM, Nemenoff RA, Schenk EL, Bitler BG, Jordan KR, Ghosh D. On clustering for cell-phenotyping in multiplex immunohistochemistry (mIHC) and multiplexed ion beam imaging (MIBI) data. BMC Res Notes. 2022 Jun 20;15(1):215. PubMed PMID: 35725622
  • Hubbard JM, Yin J, Schenk EL, Qin R, Reid JM, Strand C, Fiskum J, Menefee M, Lin G, Doyle LA, Ivy P, Erlichman C, Adjei A, Haluska P, Costello BA. Phase I study of cediranib, an oral VEGFR inhibitor, in combination with selumetinib, an oral MEK inhibitor, in patients with advanced solid malignancies. Invest New Drugs. 2022 Feb;40(1):115-123. PubMed PMID: 34515877
  • Owen DH, Singh N, Ismaila N, Blanchard E, Celano P, Florez N, Jain D, Leighl NB, Mamdani H, Masters G, Moffitt PR, Naidoo J, Phillips T, Riely GJ, Robinson AG, Schenk E, Schneider BJ, Sequist L, Spigel DR, Jaiyesimi IA. Therapy for Stage IV Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer With Driver Alterations: ASCO Living Guideline, Version 2022.2. J Clin Oncol. 2022 Dec 19;:JCO2202124. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 36534938
  • Owen DH, Singh N, Ismaila N, Blanchard E, Celano P, Florez N, Jain D, Leighl NB, Mamdani H, Masters G, Moffitt PR, Naidoo J, Phillips T, Riely GJ, Robinson AG, Schenk E, Schneider BJ, Sequist L, Spigel DR, Jaiyesimi IA. Therapy for Stage IV Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer Without Driver Alterations: ASCO Living Guideline, Version 2022.2. J Clin Oncol. 2022 Dec 19;:JCO2202121. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 36534935
  • Schenk EL, Patil T, Pacheco J, Bunn PA Jr. 2020 Innovation-Based Optimism for Lung Cancer Outcomes. Oncologist. 2021 Mar;26(3):e454-e472. PubMed PMID: 33179378
  • Johnson AM, Boland JM, Wrobel J, Klezcko EK, Weiser-Evans M, Hopp K, Heasley L, Clambey ET, Jordan K, Nemenoff RA, Schenk EL. Cancer Cell-Specific Major Histocompatibility Complex II Expression as a Determinant of the Immune Infiltrate Organization and Function in the NSCLC Tumor Microenvironment. J Thorac Oncol. 2021 May 25. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 34048945
  • Pacheco J, Schenk EL, Bunn PA. Optimal Therapy for Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Without Driver Alterations. JNCI Cancer Spectr. 2021 Jun;5(3):pkab014. PubMed PMID: 34085000
  • Ng TL, Johnson A, Nemenoff RA, Hsieh E, Osypuk AA, van Bokhoven A, Li H, Camidge DR, Schenk EL. Prospective Observational Study Revealing Early Pulmonary Function Changes Associated With Brigatinib Initiation. J Thorac Oncol. 2021 Mar;16(3):486-491. PubMed PMID: 33307191
  • Ng TL, Johnson A, Nemenoff RA, Hsieh E, Osypuk AA, van Bokhoven A, Li H, Camidge DR, Schenk EL. Prospective Observational Study Revealing Early Pulmonary Function Changes Associated With Brigatinib Initiation. J Thorac Oncol. 2020 Dec 9. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 33307191
  • Camidge DR, Schenk EL. Blood-Based Biomarkers for Predicting Immunotherapy Benefit in Lung Cancer. Cell. 2020 Oct 15;183(2):303-304. PubMed PMID: 33064985
  • Maynard A, McCoach CE, Rotow JK, Harris L, Haderk F, Kerr DL, Yu EA, Schenk EL, Tan W, Zee A, Tan M, Gui P, Lea T, Wu W, Urisman A, Jones K, Sit R, Kolli PK, Seeley E, Gesthalter Y, Le DD, Yamauchi KA, Naeger DM, Bandyopadhyay S, Shah K, Cech L, Thomas NJ, Gupta A, Gonzalez M, Do H, Tan L, Bacaltos B, Gomez-Sjoberg R, Gubens M, Jahan T, Kratz JR, Jablons D, Neff N, Doebele RC, Weissman J, Blakely CM, Darmanis S, Bivona TG. Therapy-Induced Evolution of Human Lung Cancer Revealed by Single-Cell RNA Sequencing. Cell. 2020 Sep 3;182(5):1232-1251.e22. PubMed PMID: 32822576
  • Johnson AM, Bullock BL, Neuwelt AJ, Poczobutt JM, Kaspar RE, Li HY, Kwak JW, Hopp K, Weiser-Evans MCM, Heasley LE, Schenk EL, Clambey ET, Nemenoff RA. Cancer Cell-Intrinsic Expression of MHC Class II Regulates the Immune Microenvironment and Response to Anti-PD-1 Therapy in Lung Adenocarcinoma. J Immunol. 2020 Apr 15;204(8):2295-2307. PubMed PMID: 32179637
  • Failing JJ, Ho TP, Yadav S, Majithia N, Riaz IB, Shin JY, Schenk EL, Xie H. Safety of Influenza Vaccine in Patients With Cancer Receiving Pembrolizumab. JCO Oncol Pract. 2020 Jul;16(7):e573-e580. PubMed PMID: 32048920
  • Patil T, Mushtaq R, Marsh S, Azelby C, Pujara M, Davies KD, Aisner DL, Purcell WT, Schenk EL, Pacheco JM, Bunn PA, Camidge DR, Doebele RC. Clinicopathologic Characteristics, Treatment Outcomes, and Acquired Resistance Patterns of Atypical EGFR Mutations and HER2 Alterations in Stage IV Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer. Clin Lung Cancer. 2020 May;21(3):e191-e204. PubMed PMID: 31859066
  • Schenk EL, Mandrekar SJ, Dy GK, Aubry MC, Tan AD, Dakhil SR, Sachs BA, Nieva JJ, Bertino E, Lee Hann C, Schild SE, Wadsworth TW, Adjei AA, Molina JR. A Randomized Double-Blind Phase II Study of the Seneca Valley Virus (NTX-010) versus Placebo for Patients with Extensive-Stage SCLC (ES SCLC) Who Were Stable or Responding after at Least Four Cycles of Platinum-Based Chemotherapy: North Central Cancer Treatment Group (Alliance) N0923 Study. J Thorac Oncol. 2020 Jan;15(1):110-119. PubMed PMID: 31605793
  • Kleczko EK, Kwak JW, Schenk EL, Nemenoff RA. Targeting the Complement Pathway as a Therapeutic Strategy in Lung Cancer. Front Immunol. 2019;10:954. PubMed PMID: 31134065
  • Bullock BL, Kimball AK, Poczobutt JM, Neuwelt AJ, Li HY, Johnson AM, Kwak JW, Kleczko EK, Kaspar RE, Wagner EK, Hopp K, Schenk EL, Weiser-Evans MC, Clambey ET, Nemenoff RA. Tumor-intrinsic response to IFN? shapes the tumor microenvironment and anti-PD-1 response in NSCLC. Life Sci Alliance. 2019 Jun;2(3). PubMed PMID: 31133614
  • Pacheco JM, Camidge DR, Doebele RC, Schenk E. A Changing of the Guard: Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors With and Without Chemotherapy as First Line Treatment for Metastatic Non-small Cell Lung Cancer. Front Oncol. 2019;9:195. PubMed PMID: 30984621
  • Bunn PA Jr, Schenk E, Pacheco J, Dimou A. New Developments in Neoadjuvant Therapy for Lung Cancer. Oncology (Williston Park). 2019 Mar 13;33(3):101-6, 109. PubMed PMID: 30866032
  • Pacheco J, Schenk E. CDK4/6 inhibition alone and in combination for non-small cell lung cancer. Oncotarget. 2019 Jan 18;10(6):618-619. PubMed PMID: 30774754
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Professional Memberships

  • IASLC, Member
  • American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), Member
  • American Association for Cancer Research (AACR), Member

Practice Locations

UCHealth Lung Cancer Clinic - Anschutz Medical Campus
1665 Aurora Ct
Anschutz Cancer Pavilion
Aurora, CO 80045
720-848-0300

Hospital Affiliation
  • University of Colorado Hospital

Center Affiliations

Specialty Information

Specialties
  • Medical Oncology, Board Certification (2018)
  • Hematology, Board Certification (2018)
Conditions & Treatments
  • Cancers - Lung Cancer
  • Cancers
Clinical Interests
Novel immune therapy based clinical trials for patients with lung cancer Multidisciplinary management of lung cancer

Care Philosophy
The diagnosis of lung cancer is life changing and the information can be overwhelming. As a specialist in Thoracic Oncology, my job is to provide the best possible, personalized care for my patients. The treatment options for lung cancer have dramatically increased in number, effectiveness, and tolerability. Starting patients on the right treatment for them is key to helping them do as well as possible. These options can include standard of care therapy - therapies that are available 'off the shelf' - or clinical trials. At the University of Colorado/UCH Lung Cancer Clinic, the care of patients with lung cancer is a multidisciplinary effort. Frequently, my patients see and are also treated by my colleagues who specialize in thoracic cancer including Thoracic Surgeons, Radiation Oncologists, and Pulmonologists. We work as a team to maximize treatment benefit for patients.

Public Speaking
Yes


General Information

Medical Schools
  • MD, Mayo Medical School (2011)
Graduate Schools
  • PhD, Mayo Graduate School (2011)
Residency Programs
  • College of Medicine, Mayo Clinic Program, Internal Medicine(2014)
Fellowships
  • College of Medicine, Mayo Clinic (Rochester) Program, Hematology and Oncology (2018)
Languages English
Department Medicine-Medical Oncology