Dr. David Chung is taking on Northwell Health’s newly established role of director of clinical research at its cancer institute, where he said he seeks to advance the healthcare system’s cancer clinical trials and treatment of multiple myeloma – a specialty of the pronounced oncologist and researcher.
“Progress in medicine, and specifically in cancer, ultimately depends on the development of newer drugs and the way you develop new drugs is by testing them in clinical studies or clinical trials,” Chung said. “Having those available at a facility is important in terms of advancing the field and making sure that patients have exposure to the newest treatments.”
Chung, a medical oncologist specializing in the treatment of multiple myeloma, comes from Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center with more than 20 years of experience under his belt. At Memorial Sloan-Kettering, Chung was a member of the Adult Bone Marrow Transplant and Cellular Therapy Services, and was also director of Adult Stem Cell Transplantation and Cancer Immunotherapy Fellowships.
He received his medical degree from Georgetown University and went on to conduct his residency in internal medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles. He later completed his medical oncology fellowship at Memorial Sloan-Kettering.
His experience includes leading the development and implementation of multiple investigator-initiated clinical trials.
“Dr. Chung’s significant experience in clinical research and his commitment to patient care make him an ideal leader for this important new role,” Dr. Richard Barakat, physician-in-chief and executive director of the Northwell Cancer Institute, wrote in a release. “With Dr. Chung’s expertise, we have a tremendous opportunity at Northwell to build one of the most robust and impactful clinical trials programs in the country. Not only will Dr. Chung manage our trials, but he’s also going to transform them, making them more efficient, more accessible, and ultimately, more effective in bringing life-saving therapies to our patients.”
In Chung’s position as director of clinical research, he will lead the development of Northwell’s clinical and translational cancer research program. As system chief of multiple myeloma, he will directly oversee the growth of Northwell’s clinical and research programs of the rare blood cancer.
Chung stressed the importance of clinical trials in cases where cancer patients run out of options. Having the ability to engage in clinical trials and seek experimental options can sometimes be vital for the patient as well as patients in the future.
He said he is looking to advance Northwell’s advancement in cancer treatment, taking a closer look at cancer sub-specialities.
“Traditionally, cancer has been thought of as a single disease,” Chung said. “But we know that even within certain types of cancers, like if you say someone has lymphoma or someone has a GI cancer or something similar to that, that they’re not all exactly the same and there are many multiple subtypes within each type of cancer. So that basically means that cancer, as we have learned over the years, is a much more complex process and associated with that is that treatments also need to be tailored toward that subtype of cancer.”
Chung said the field of oncology is evolving, so the expectation that a general oncologist can treat any form of cancer is no longer a reality. He said with a diverse array of treatment approaches, working with oncology specialtists who are attuned to the complexities of cancer subtypes is how patient care can be optimized and improve their health outcomes.
Northwell Health already has an array of oncologists with specialties, but Chung said his goal is to expand the treatment of multiple myeloma – a rarer blood cancer that is considered incurable.
Yet while this incurable designation sounds pessimistic, Chung said advances in treatment have turned the disease into a sort of chronic illness that patients oftentimes can live with for more than ten years.
Chung said he is seeking to establish a group of physicians who will focus on multiple myeloma, which would advance the healthcare system’s expertise in treating the disease.
While myeloma is more uncommon than other forms of blood cancers, Chung said the number of new cases increases each year. But, the disease is one that is more pertinent to the area and the patient population Northwell treats as Chung said individuals exposed to the toxins during the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attack in New York are at higher risk of developing it.
“So even though it’s a relatively rare cancer, it’s not as if it’s five people a year get it,” Chung said. “It’s still a substantial number of people.”
Chung has been in the position for just about a month, but he’s already hitting the ground running to see how he can progress the cancer institute further. He said he’s starting by establishing his footing at Northwell Health to see where it is and where it can go.
