Cristina Truica, MD - Penn State Cancer Institute
Researcher Profile

Cristina Truica, MD
Associate Professor, Department of Medicine
Director of Breast Medical Oncology, Division of Hematology and Oncology
Director of Breast Medical Oncology, Division of Hematology and Oncology
Scientific Program:Next-Generation Therapies
Disease Teams:
Cancer Institute, Breast Cancer Team
Research Interests
- Breast Neoplasms
- Neoplasms
- Therapeutics
- Aromatase Inhibitors
- Circulating Neoplastic Cells
- Drug Therapy
- Exercise
- exemestane
- Immunotherapy
- Education
- Equipment and Supplies
- Safety
Clinical Trials
General Protocol for the Acquisition of Whole Blood for the Detection and Characterization of Circulating Tumor Cells and/or Tumor Specific Immunity/Immune Cell Activation for any Malignancy at any Stage of Disease
CCTG MA.39:Tailor RT: A Randomized Trial of Regional Radiotherapy in Biomarker Low Risk Node Positive and T3N0 Breast Cancer
EA1181 (CompassHER2-pCR): Preoperative THP and postoperative HP in patients who achieve a pathologic complete response Part 1 Component of:The CompassHER2 Trials (COMprehensive use of Pathologic response Assessment to optimize therapy in HER2-positive breast cancer).
NRG-BR007: A Phase III Clinical Trial Evaluating Deescalation of Breast Radiation for Conservative Treatment of Stage I, Hormone sensitive, HER2- Negative Oncotype recurrence Score ≤ 18 Breast Cancer
An Open Label, Phase II Trial of Pre-operative Neratinib and Endocrine Therapy with Trastuzumab in Triple Positive Breast Cancers
A Phase II, Single Arm, Non-randomized Study of Alpelisib (BYL719) in Combination with Continued Endocrine Therapy Following Progression on Endocrine Therapy in Hormone Receptor Positive, HER2 Negative, PIK3CA Mutant Metastatic Breast Cancer Big Ten Cancer Research Consortium BTCRC-BRE19-409
Prospective Evaluation of Carvedilol in Prevention of Cardiac Toxicity in Patients with Metastatic HER-2+ Breast Cancer, Phase III
Attitudes towards cannabis use in the PSCI cancer population
Recent Publications
2023
Bluethmann, SM, Flores, E, Grotte, M, Heitzenrater, J, Truica, CI, Olsen, NJ, Sciamanna, C & Schmitz, KH 2023, 'Adapting an Evidence-Based Exercise and Education Program for Older Breast Cancer Survivors for the REJOIN Trial', Journal of Aging and Physical Activity, vol. 31, no. 1, pp. 59-67. https://doi.org/10.1123/japa.2022-0013
Gordon, BR, Qiu, L, Doerksen, SE, Kanski, B, Lorenzo, A, Truica, CI, Vasekar, M, Wang, M, Winkels, RM, Abdullah, S & Schmitz, KH 2023, 'Addressing metastatic individuals everyday: Rationale and design of the nurse AMIE for Amazon Echo Show trial among metastatic breast cancer patients', Contemporary Clinical Trials Communications, vol. 32, 101058. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conctc.2023.101058
Schmitz, KH, Kanski, B, Gordon, B, Caru, M, Vasakar, M, Truica, C, Wang, M, Doerksen, S, Lorenzo, A, Winkels, R, Qiu, L & Abdullah, S 2023, 'Technology-based supportive care for metastatic breast cancer patients', Supportive Care in Cancer, vol. 31, no. 7, 401. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-023-07884-3
Caru, M, Abdullah, S, Qiu, L, Kanski, B, Gordon, B, Truica, CI, Vasakar, M, Doerksen, S & Schmitz, KH 2023, 'Women with metastatic breast cancer don't just follow step-count trends, they exceed them: an exploratory study', Breast Cancer Research and Treatment, vol. 200, no. 2, pp. 265-270. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10549-023-06980-6
2022
Teslenko, I, Trudeau, J, Luo, S, Watson, CJW, Chen, G, Truica, CI & Lazarus, P 2022, 'Influence of Glutathione-S-Transferase A1*B Allele on the Metabolism of the Aromatase Inhibitor, Exemestane, in Human Liver Cytosols and in Patients Treated with Exemestane', Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, vol. 382, no. 3, pp. 327-334. https://doi.org/10.1124/jpet.122.001232
2021
Nesterova, D, Zhu, J, Kramer, C, Vasekar, M, Truica, C, Joshi, A, Hayes, M, Kessler, J, Saunders, EFH, Drabick, JJ & Joshi, M 2022, 'Group-led creative writing and behavioural health in cancer: A randomised clinical trial', BMJ Supportive and Palliative Care, vol. 12, no. 1, pp. 91-98. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjspcare-2020-002463
Bluethmann, SM, Truica, C, Klepin, HD, Olsen, N, Sciamanna, C, Chinchilli, VM & Schmitz, KH 2021, 'Study design and methods for the using exercise to relieve joint pain and improve AI adherence in older breast cancer survivors (REJOIN) trial', Journal of Geriatric Oncology, vol. 12, no. 7, pp. 1146-1153. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jgo.2021.05.011
Schmitz, KH, Schleicher, E, Doerksen, S, Truica, C, Cream, L, Kass, R, Farnan, M, Suess, R, Gordon, B, Zucker, D & Hayes, M 2021, 'Testing the acceptability and feasibility of a tablet-based supportive cancer platform for patients with metastatic breast cancer', Journal of Cancer Survivorship, vol. 15, no. 3, pp. 410-413. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11764-021-01021-x
2020
Yin, M, Verschraegen, C, Vincent, VH, Patel, SM, George, T & Truica, CI 2020, 'Impact of lack of surgery on outcomes in elderly women with nonmetastatic breast cancer-A surveillance, epidemiology, and end results 18 population based study', Medicine (United States), vol. 99, no. 3, e18745. https://doi.org/10.1097/MD.0000000000018745
Castaman, G, Borchiellini, A, Santagostino, E, Radossi, P, Aksu, S, Yilmaz, M, Serban, M, Uscatescu, V, Truica, C, Fasulo, MR, Mancuso, ME, Paladino, E, Valpreda, A, Guarnieri, C, Macchia, R, Scarpellini, M, Mathew, P & Morfini, M 2020, 'Non-Compartment and compartmental pharmacokinetics, efficacy, and safety of Kedrion FIX concentrate', European Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, vol. 153, 105485. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejps.2020.105485
Schmitz, KH, Potiaumpai, M, Schleicher, EA, Wolf, LJ, Doerksen, SE, Drabick, JJ, Yee, NS, Truica, CI, Mohamed, AA, Shaw, BW & Farley, DC 2021, 'The exercise in all chemotherapy trial', Cancer, vol. 127, no. 9, pp. 1507-1516. https://doi.org/10.1002/cncr.33390
2019
Zhu, J, Hussain, M, Joshi, A, Truica, CI, Nesterova, D, Collins, J, Saunders, EFH, Hayes, M, Drabick, JJ & Joshi, M 2020, 'Effect of creative writing on mood in patients with cancer', BMJ Supportive and Palliative Care, vol. 10, no. 1, pp. 64-67. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjspcare-2018-001710
Yardley, DA, Hart, L, Favret, A, Blau, S, Diab, S, Richards, D, Sparano, J, Beck, JT, Richards, P, Ward, P, Ramaswamy, B, Tsai, M, Blackwell, K, Pluard, T, Tolaney, SM, Esteva, FJ, Truica, CI, Alemany, C, Volas-Redd, G, Shtivelband, M, Purkayastha, D, Dalal, AA, Miller, M & Hortobagyi, GN 2019, 'Efficacy and Safety of Ribociclib With Letrozole in US Patients Enrolled in the MONALEESA-2 Study', Clinical Breast Cancer, vol. 19, no. 4, pp. 268-277.e1. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clbc.2019.02.007
Castaman, G, Borchiellini, A, Santagostino, E, Tagariello, G, Serban, M, Uscatescu, M, Truica, C, Farrugia, A & Morfini, M 2019, 'Pharmacokinetics of a new human plasma-derived double virus inactivated and nanofiltered factor IX concentrate in previously treated severe or moderately severe haemophilia B patients', Haemophilia, vol. 25, no. 6, pp. e364-e367. https://doi.org/10.1111/hae.13828