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Alessandro Santin, MD

Professor of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences
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Additional Titles

Clinical Research Team Leader, Gynecologic Oncology, Yale Cancer Center

Co-Chief, Section of Gynecologic Oncology

Contact Info

Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences

PO Box 208063

New Haven, CT 06520-8063

United States

About

Titles

Professor of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences

Clinical Research Team Leader, Gynecologic Oncology, Yale Cancer Center; Co-Chief, Section of Gynecologic Oncology

Biography

Dr. Alessandro D. Santin, a native of Italy, graduated with honors from the University of Brescia, Italy and received his postgraduate training in Obstetrics & Gynecology at the same University. He served a fellowship in Gynecologic Oncology at the University of California, Irvine and an International Fellowship in the Division of Gynecologic Oncology at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas. In 2000 he became a Clinical Assistant Professor and in 2004 an Associate Professor with Tenure in the same Division. Watch a video with Dr. Alessandro Santin >>

Dr. Santin joined the faculty in the Section of Gynecologic Oncology in the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences at Yale as Professor as of July 2008. He was the recipient of the American Association young investigator award and the Italian Society of Gynecologic Oncologists award for translational science. Dr. Santin has more than 300 original research and peer-reviewed publications including multiple review articles and book chapters and he has written extensively on various topics, including cancer of the ovary, endometrium and cervix as well as on tumor immunology and immunotherapy.

Dr. Santin's clinical interests include cancer of the ovary, uterus, vagina, cervix and vulva; intraperitoneal chemotherapy, tumor genetics, immunology and immunotherapy; tumor angiogenesis, radiation biology and experimental therapeutics in Gynecologic Oncology. His current research interests include immunotherapy for ovarian, cervical and endometrial carcinomas refractory to standard treatment modalities; development of therapeutic vaccines against Human Papillomavirus (HPV) infected genital tumors, and the use of monoclonal antibodies against chemotherapy resistant gynecologic malignancies.

Dr. Santin is a member of the Society of Gynecologic Oncologists, the Gynecologic Oncology Group, The International Gynecologic Oncology Society, the American Medical Association, the American Society of Immunologists, the Italian Society of Gynecologic Oncologists, the American Association for Cancer Research and the American Society of Clinical Oncology.

Appointments

Other Departments & Organizations

Education & Training

Fellow
University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (2000)
Fellow
University of California - Irvine Medical Center (1995)
Resident
University of Brescia School of Medicine (1993)
MD
University of Brescia School of Medicine (1989)

Research

Overview

Dr. Santin is a skilled gynecologic oncologist and talented clinical scientist who has a strong background in training and mentoring talented young physician-scientists. He has been involved in the training of 50 post-doctoral fellows, including Gynecologic Oncology, Medical Oncology and Surgical Oncology Fellows, the majority of whom have gone on to academic careers in the U.S. and abroad in Gynecologic Oncology and cancer research.

Dr. Santin’s research and clinical accomplishments have been published in high-impact journals in the cancer research field, including the New England Journal of Medicine, Cancer Research, Clinical Cancer Research, and the Journal of Virology, while numerous additional publications have been reported in subspecialty journals. Dr. Santin’s translational research program in ovarian cancer has been funded multiple times by federal agencies including the Department of Defense (DoD), the National Institute of Health (NIH) as well as private National and International Foundations. He is currently funded by NIH to evaluate the potential use of Clostridium Perfringens Enterotoxin (CPE) as a novel therapy against chemotherapy resistant ovarian carcinoma.

His research program spans a range from basic studies in molecular cancer genetics and tumor immunology to translational clinical cancer research testing novel immunotherapeutic strategies and targeted compounds in vivo for the treatment of gynecologic malignancies. Dr. Santin is an active member of the Gynecologic Oncology Group (GOG) and the International Gynecological Cancer Society (IGCS), the two largest organizations of gynecologic oncologists in the world. He is a member of the GOG Developmental Therapeutics Committee, a national Committee that reviews multi-site concepts/protocols to be implemented at nationwide level by the GOG funded by the NIH and he is Chairman for the entire GOG of multiple Phase II clinical studies testing novel biologic agents in patient harboring gynecologic malignancies.

Dr. Santin has initiated and completed multiple investigator’s initiated FDA approved clinical trials in gynecologic cancer patients using novel immunotherapeutic strategies developed and characterized in his own laboratory. Dr Santin 's bench-to-bedside research work in uterine serous carcinoma (USC), one of the most biologically aggressive and lethal variant of endometrial cancer, has established a new standard of care for patients with both advanced and recurrent USC harboring c-erbB2 gene amplification (ie, carboplatin/paclitaxel/trastuzumab is now included in the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) guidelines, which are widely recognized and used as the standard for clinical policy in oncology by both clinicians and payers, as the preferred regimen for the treatment of women with HER2+, advanced or recurrent USC).

Dr. Santin also serves as peer reviewer for a number of journals including Lancet, Nature Medicine, Cancer Research, Journal of Clinical Oncology, Clinical Cancer Research, American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology, International Journal of Cancer, British Journal of Cancer, Gynecologic Oncology, International Journal of Radiation Oncology, Obstetrics & Gynecology, Journal of Immunotherapy, International Journal of Gynecological Cancer, Cancer Immunology Immunotherapy, BMC Cancer, Cancer Detection & Prevention, Molecular Cancer Research, Cancer, Cancer Biology & Therapy, Reproductive Sciences.

Medical Research Interests

Genital Neoplasms, Female; Gynecology; Immunotherapy; Neoplasms, Experimental; Ovarian Neoplasms

Research at a Glance

Yale Co-Authors

Frequent collaborators of Alessandro Santin's published research.

Publications

2024

Clinical Trials

Current Trials

Academic Achievements & Community Involvement

  • activity

    Board Member

  • activity

    Society of Gynecologic Oncologists

  • honor

    Genetics Institute Young Investigator Award.

Clinical Care

Overview

Alessandro D. Santin, MD, is an oncologist who cares for patients with endometrial and other gynecologic cancers. He is experienced with intraperitoneal chemotherapy, which is given through the abdomen to treat ovarian cancer. Dr. Santin also treats patients from Connecticut and beyond who have been diagnosed with uterine serous carcinoma (USC), a highly aggressive and chemotherapy-resistant cancer.

Dr. Santin says his research, which explores cancers of the ovary, endometrium and cervix, as well as tumor immunology and immunotherapy, is driven by a desire to find better treatments for his patients.

“When you see a patient in the office, in the hospital after surgery or after they receive chemotherapy, you really understand that we need to do more,” Dr. Santin says.

Therefore, keeping an honest and open dialogue with patients is key, he says. “I let them know how serious the disease is,” he says. “But if we are upfront about their prognosis, we can also take advantage of cutting-edge treatments that we have available at Yale. Right now, genetics help us better understand the biology of the disease and allow for some patients to use new treatments that can make a difference.”

A professor of obstetrics, gynecology and reproductive sciences at Yale School of Medicine, Dr. Santin has been recognized as a "top doctor" in the state by a regional ranking service.

Clinical Specialties

Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences; Gynecologic Oncology

Fact Sheets

Board Certifications

  • Obstetrics & Gynecology

    Certification Organization
    Italian Board of Obstetrics & Gynecology
    Original Certification Date
    1993

Yale Medicine News

Get In Touch

Contacts

Appointment Number
Clinical Inquiry Number
Clinic Fax Number
Mailing Address

Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences

PO Box 208063

New Haven, CT 06520-8063

United States

Administrative Support

Locations

  • Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences

    Academic Office

    Laboratory for Surgery, Obsterics & Gynecology

    375 Congress Avenue, Wing Gynecologic Oncology, Fl 3rd, Ste 305, Rm B

    New Haven, CT 06519

    General Information

    203.737.4450
  • Patient Care Locations

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