Overview
As instructor of oncology and pediatrics, Llosa’s research focus is the immunotherapy of sarcomas. My research focuses on understanding how the immune system interacts with cancer cells from sarcoma tumors. Sarcoma is a type of cancer that can occur in various locations in the body. Sarcoma is the general term for a broad group of cancers that includes tumors that form in the bones and in the soft (also called connective) tissues. Sarcomas affect people of all ages and some, such as Rhabdomyosarcoma, Neuroblastoma, Ewings sarcoma and Osteosarcoma, are more common in children and young adults. Treatments for sarcoma vary depending on tumor type, location and other factors. I concentrate in the immunotherapy of sarcomas. Immunotherapy (also called biologic therapy or biotherapy) is a type of cancer treatment designed to boost the body's natural defenses to fight the cancer. It uses materials either made by the body or in a laboratory to improve, target, or restore immune system function. Immunotherapy works by stopping or slowing the growth of cancer cells, stopping cancer from spreading to other parts of the body, or helping the immune system increase its effectiveness at eliminating cancer cells. There are several types of immunotherapy, including monoclonal antibodies, non-specific immunotherapies, and cancer vaccines. My specific area of interest is the use of drugs that target immune system checkpoints. The immune system has checkpoints to keep itself from attacking other normal cells in the body. Cancer cells sometimes take advantage of these checkpoints to avoid being attacked by the immune system. CTLA-4 and PD-1/PD-L1 are checkpoint molecules found on immune system cells (T cells) that can be blocked with drugs leading to a general raise in the immune system of the patients which helps it attack cancer cells. These types of drugs are currently being given to patients with melanoma (skin cancer), lung cancer and kidney cancer with great success and they have been found to shrink advanced tumors in many people. The best part of the treatment is that many of these tumor responses have been long-lasting so far, and the side effects are generally less serious than when using chemotherapy. Larger clinical trials are now studying both drugs, both alone and/or in combination with other treatments. My task is and will continue to be using the same type of approach for attacking sarcomas and hopefully obtained the very promising results and long lasting responses observed with the use of immune checkpoint inhibitors in other types of cancer.
Dr. Llosa is rated as an Experienced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Graft Versus Host Disease (GvHD). His top areas of expertise are Adult Soft Tissue Sarcoma, Osteosarcoma, Malignant Peripheral Nerve Sheath Tumor, Rhabdomyosarcoma, and Bone Marrow Transplant.
His clinical research consists of co-authoring 43 peer reviewed articles and participating in 2 clinical trials. MediFind looks at clinical research from the past 15 years. In particular, he has co-authored 5 articles in the study of Graft Versus Host Disease (GvHD).
Insurance
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Accepted insurance plans:
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- HMO
- POS
- PPO
- HMO
- POS
- PPO
- EPO
- HMO
- PPO
- INSURANCE PLAN
- MEDICARE PDP
- PPO
- HMO
- POS
- PPO
- HMO
- MANAGED MEDICAID PLAN
- MEDICARE MAPD
- MEDICARE-MEDICAID PLAN
- EPO
- HMO
- POS
- PPO
Locations
1800 Orleans Street, Bloomberg 11N, Bloomberg 11N, Baltimore, MD 21287
Additional Areas of Focus
Dr. Llosa has provided the following conditions as areas of focus. Please note that we may not have enough data to validate their experience in some of these conditions.
Clinical Research
Clinical research consists of overseeing clinical studies of patients undergoing new treatments and therapies, and publishing articles in peer reviewed medical journals. Providers who actively participate in clinical research are generally at the forefront of the fields and aware of the most up-to-date advances in treatments for their patients.
2 Clinical Trials
University Of Maryland Oncology Associates PA
Jean Yared is a Hematologist Oncology specialist and a Hematologist in Baltimore, Maryland. Dr. Yared is rated as a Distinguished provider by MediFind in the treatment of Graft Versus Host Disease (GvHD). His top areas of expertise are Graft Versus Host Disease (GvHD), Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML), Multiple Myeloma, Bone Marrow Transplant, and Bone Marrow Aspiration. Dr. Yared is currently accepting new patients.
Scott Rowley is an Oncologist and a Hematologist in Washington, Washington, D.c.. Dr. Rowley is rated as an Elite provider by MediFind in the treatment of Graft Versus Host Disease (GvHD). His top areas of expertise are Multiple Myeloma, Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML), Acute Myeloblastic Leukemia without Maturation, Bone Marrow Transplant, and Colonoscopy.
Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center
Dr. DeZern is a Professor of Oncology and Medicine at The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. She is active in the Division of Hematology Malignancies, Leukemia Program at the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins. Dr. DeZern has expertise in aplastic anemia, myelodysplastic syndromes, paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria, acute myeloid leukemia, and bone marrow transplantation. Dr. DeZern received her medical degree at The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. She completed a residency in internal medicine at Johns Hopkins, followed by fellowships in medical oncology and hematology, as well as obtained a Masters in Clinical Investigations at the Bloomberg School of Public health. Dr. DeZern is a member of the American Society of Hematology, the American Society of Clinical Oncology, and the American Society for Transplantation and Cellular Therapy. Dr. DeZern’s principle research activities consist of designing and conducting clinical trials that test investigational new therapies and approaches in the treatment of bone marrow failure (aplastic anemia and myelodysplastic syndromes). She has specific expertise in the use of alternative donor bone marrow transplantation in patients with severe aplastic anemia and trials of novel therapeutics for patients with myelodysplastic syndromes. Additionally, she has taken a rigorous approach to the study of diagnostics and supportive case (such as transfusion practices) in these patient populations. She is or has been the Principal Investigator for a number of multicenter trials in collaboration with the MDS Clinical Research Consortium, the Eastern Co-operative Oncology Group (ECOG)-ACRIN and now the Bone Marrow Trials Clinical Trials Network (BMTCTN). She is the Study Chair for the multi-site BMTCTN study (CHAMP) investigating the role of haploidentical donor transplantation using post-transplantation cyclophosphamide in patients with relapsed several aplastic anemia. Dr. DeZern is the local PI as well as the Deputy Chair for The National MDS Study, a collaborative natural history study of the NHLBI and the NCI. As a clinical investigator with a focus on translation of novel treatments to the clinic, Dr. DeZern’s goal is to improve outcomes for patients with bone marrow failure at the bedside and in her research environment. Dr. Dezern is rated as an Elite provider by MediFind in the treatment of Graft Versus Host Disease (GvHD). Her top areas of expertise are Myelodysplastic Syndrome (MDS), Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML), Chronic Myelomonocytic Leukemia (CMML), Bone Marrow Transplant, and Bone Marrow Aspiration.
Areas of Expertise
MediFind evaluates expertise by pulling from factors such as number of articles a doctor has published in medical journals, participation in clinical trials, speaking at industry conferences, prescribing and referral patterns, and strength of connections with other experts in their field.
Learn more about MediFind’s expert tiers
- Advanced
- Adult Soft Tissue SarcomaDr. Llosa isAdvanced. Learn about Adult Soft Tissue Sarcoma.
- Ewing SarcomaDr. Llosa isAdvanced. Learn about Ewing Sarcoma.
- Malignant Peripheral Nerve Sheath Tumor
- OsteosarcomaDr. Llosa isAdvanced. Learn about Osteosarcoma.
- RhabdomyosarcomaDr. Llosa isAdvanced. Learn about Rhabdomyosarcoma.
- Experienced
- Bone Marrow TransplantDr. Llosa isExperienced. Learn about Bone Marrow Transplant.
- Graft Versus Host Disease (GvHD)Dr. Llosa isExperienced. Learn about Graft Versus Host Disease (GvHD).
- Neurofibromatosis Type 1 (NF1)Dr. Llosa isExperienced. Learn about Neurofibromatosis Type 1 (NF1).