Vaishali Sanchorawala, M.D.

Vaishali Sanchorawala.jpgI am the director of the Autologous Stem Cell Transplantation Program at Boston Medical Center. I have been affiliated with the Amyloidosis Center of the Boston University School of Medicine since 1994 and recently been appointed as Director of the center. I have been one of the pioneers in the field of clinical research in AL amyloidosis.  My work in the treatment of systemic AL amyloidosis has been published in many peer-reviewed journals, which has resulted in the evolution of the standard of care for these patients. I am currently heading several clinical trials in the treatment of AL amyloidosis. I was the principal investigator and study coordinator of a clinical trial conducted nationally through the Southwest Oncology Group of stem cell transplantation in AL amyloidosis, which accrued 110 patients from 2004 to 2010 at 17 SWOG affiliated centers in the US and published in Bone Marrow Transplantation journal in 2013. In addition, I successfully administered the projects (e.g. staffing, research protections, budget), collaborated with other researchers, and produced several peer-reviewed publications from each project.  As a result of these previous experiences, I am aware of the importance of frequent communication among project members and of constructing a realistic research plan, timeline, and budget. I am at present a member of the Executive Steering Committee of Amyloidosis Research Consortium which is developing multicenter clinical trials for AL amyloidosis with the goal of rapid accrual and completion of clinical trials. I also have participated in meetings with the FDA for enhancing the amyloidosis drug development pathway, guidance for more efficient and successful programs.   I have helped to create and cultivate the next generation of physician-scientists in the area of clinical research in AL amyloidosis.

Professor of Medicine

Director, Amyloidosis Center

Director, Stem Cell Transplantation Program

Affiliations:

  • Department of Medicine: Section of Hematology and Oncology
  • Cancer Center

Education:

  • Seth G. S. Medical College, KEM Hospital (Mumbai, India), M.B.B.S.
  • Residency: University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey
  • Fellowship: Hematology/Oncology, Boston Medical Center
  • Fellowship: Stem Cell Transplant, Boston Medical Center

Board Membership:

  • Amyloidosis Research Consortium, Executive Committee
  • Amyloidosis Working Group, Salmon/Barlogie Southwest Oncology Group Myeloma Committee
  • Amyloid Journal Associate Editor
  • American Journal of Blood Research – Senior editor

Clinical Trials:

Selected Publications:

  • Pulido V, Doros G, Berk JL, Sanchorawala V. The six-minute walk test in patients with AL amyloidosis: a single center case series. British Journal of Haematology 2016
  • Salinaro F, Meier-Ewert HK, Miller E, Shivda P, Sanchorawala V, Berk JL, Seldin DC, Ruberg FL. Longitudinal systolic strain, cardiac function improvement, and survival following treatment of light-chain (AL) cardiac amyloidosis. European Heart Journal – Cardiovascular Imaging 2016
  • Uwumugambi NA, Sanchorawala V, Shelton AC, Stern L, Gordon CE. Bendamustine-Induced Nephrogenic Diabetes Insipidus in a Patient With AL Amyloidosis.   American Journal of Kidney Diseases 2016 Oct 22.
  • Shu J, Lo S, Phillips M, Sun F, Seldin DC, Berenbaum I, Berk JL, Sanchorawala V.  Depression and anxiety in patients with AL amyloidosis as assessed by the SF-36 questionnaire: experience in 1226 patients..Amyloid; 23(3):188-193. 2016 July 27.
  • Merlini G, Lousada I, Ando Y, Dispenzieri A, Gertz MA, Grogan M, Maurer MS, Sanchorawala V, Wechalekar A, Palladini G, Comenzo RL. Rationale, application, and clinical qualification for NT-proBNP as a surrogate end point in pivotal clinical trials in patients with AL amyloidosis. Leukemia  2016 July 15.
  • Sanchorawala V, Shelton AC, Lo S, Varga C, Sloan JM, Seldin DC. Pomalidomide and dexamethasone in the treatment of AL amyloidosis: results of a phase I and II trial. Blood 2016; 128(8):1059-1062. 2016 July 5.
  • Havasi A, Stern L, Lo S, Sun F, Sanchorawala V. Validation of new renal staging system in AL amyloidosis treated with high dose melphalan and stem cell transplantation. American Journal of Hematology. 2016 June 30.
  • Dittus C, Uwumugambi N, Sun F, Sloan JM, Sanchorawala V. The Effect of Bone Marrow Plasma Cell Burden on Survival in Patients with AL Amyloidosis Undergoing High Dose Melphalan and Autologous Stem Cell Transplantation. Biology of Blood and Marrow Transplant. 2016; 22(9):1729-32. 2016 June 11.
  • Arun M, Sloan S, Shelton A, Sanchorawala V. Penile ulcers complicating systemic AL amyloidosis: A case report. Amyloid. 2016.
  • Lee SY, Meehan RS, Seldin DC, Sloan JM, Quillen K, Shelton A, Brauneis D, Sanchorawala V. Effect of severe hypoalbuminemia on toxicity of high dose melphalan and autologous stem cell transplantation in patients with AL amyloidosis. Bone Marrow Transplant 2016 May 16.
  • Bever KM, Masha LI, Sun F, Stern L, Havasi A, Berk JL, Sanchorawala V, Seldin DC, Sloan JM. Risk factors for venous thromboembolism in immunoglobulin light chain amyloidosis. 2016; 101(1):86-90. 2015 October 9.
  • Sissoko M, Sanchorawala V, Seldin D, Sworder B, Angelino K, Broce M, Berk J, Sloan JM. Clinical presentation and treatment responses in IgM-related AL amyloidosis. Amyloid. 2015; 22(4):229-35. 2015 October 21, 2015.
  • Sanchorawala V, Sun F, Quillen K, Sloan JM, Berk JL, Seldin DC. Long-term outcome of patients with AL amyloidosis treated with high-dose melphalan and stem cell transplantation: 20 year experience. 2015; 126:2345-2347. 2015 October 6.
  • Bosch N, Renteria AS, Quillen K, Brauneis D, Santilli J, Kim D, Sanchorawala V. Non operative Management of Spontaneous Splenic Rupture in a Patient with Light-Chain Amyloidosis: A Case Report. Journal of Vascular and Interventional Radiology. 2015; 26(10):1578-80.
  • Lee S, Brauneis D, Stern L, Sanchorawala V. Optimal dosing of high-dose melphalan prior to autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in a patient with AL amyloidosis and a solitary kidney. Hematology/Oncology and Stem Cell Therapy 2015; 2015 August 17.
  • Skinner M, Sanchorawala V. In memoriam David C. Seldin, MD, PhD. 2015; 22(3):145-146 2015 August 7.
  • Sarosiek S, Seldin DC, Connors LH, Spencer B, Murakami A, O’Hara C, Sanchorawala V. Vertebral compression fractures as the initial presentation of AL amyloidosis: case series and review of literature. Amyloid 2015; 22(3):156-162  2015 June 24.
  • Sanchorawala V, Brauneis D, Shelton AC, Lo S, Sun F, Sloan JM, Quillen K, Seldin Induction therapy with bortezomib followed by bortezomib-high dose melphalan and stem cell transplantation for AL amyloidosis: Results of a prospective clinical trial. Biology of Blood and Marrow Transplant 2015; 21(8):1445-1451, 2015 April 6.
  • Renteria A, Sanchorawala V, Niehaus E, Sun F, Semigran M, Seldin DC. Serum free light chain trends between orthotopic heart transplantation and autologous stem cell transplantation in patients with AL amyloidosis. Bone Marrow Transplant 2015; 50(6):868-869. 2015 March 9.