Heikki Joensuu - Selected Publications#

h-Index: 105; number of citations without self citations: 44,400 (Clarivate Web of Science analytics)

1. Joensuu H, Kellokumpu-Lehtinen PL, Huovinen R, Jukkola A, Tanner M, Ahlgren J, Auvinen P, Lahdenperä O, Villman K, Nyandoto P, Nilsson G, Poikonen-Saksela P, Kataja V, Bono P, Junnila J, Lindman H. 15-year overall survival results from the randomized FinXX trial. J Clin Oncol 2022;40:1051-8.

Addition of capecitabine to a chemotherapy regimen that contained standard agents improved survival of breast cancer patients, reducing deaths from any cause about 19%during a median follow-up of 15 years. In the most aggressive type of breast cancer (triple negative breast cancer), the reduction was 41%.

2. Smith MR, Hussain M, Saad F, Fizazi K, Sternberg CN, Crawford ED, Kopyltsov E, Park CH, Alekseev B, Montesa-Pino Á, Ye D, Parnis F, Cruz F, Tammela TLJ, Suzuki H, Utriainen T, Fu C, Uemura M, Méndez-Vidal MJ, Maughan BL, Joensuu H, Thiele S, Li R, Kuss I, Tombal B; ARASENS Trial Investigators. Darolutamide and survival in metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer. N Engl J Med 2022;386:1132-42.

Addition of darolutamide, a novel potent androgen-receptor inhibitor, to standard agents improved overall survival and reduced deaths about 32% compared to standard therapy plus placebo in patients with advanced hormone-sensitive prostate cancer.

3. Joensuu H, Eriksson M. Sundby Hall K, Reichardt A, Hermes B, Schütte J, Cameron S. Hohenberger P, Jost PJ, Al-Batran S-E, Lindner LH, Bauer S, Wardelmann E, Nilsson B, Kallio R, Jaakkola P, Junnila J, Alvegård T, Reichardt P. Three versus one year of adjuvant imatinib for high-risk gastrointestinal stromal tumor: An analysis of a randomized trial after ten years of follow-up. JAMA Oncol 2020;6:1241-6.

This analysis of a randomized trial found that 3 years of adjuvant imatinib administered after surgery to gastrointestinal stromal tumour (GIST) patients with a high risk for recurrence reduced the risk of death about 50% during 10 years of follow-up compared to 1 year of adjuvant imatinib.

4. Joensuu H, Hohenberger P, Corless CL. Gastrointestinal stromal tumour. Lancet 2013; 382:973-83.

A comprehensive review of GIST and its management.

5. Joensuu H, Eriksson M, Sundby Hall K, Pink D, Hartmann JT, Schütte J, Ramadori G, Hohenberger P, Duyster J, Al-Batran S-E, Schlemmer M, Bauer S, Wardelmann E, Sarlomo-Rikala M, Nilsson B, Sihto H, Monge OR, Bono P, Kallio R, Leinonen M, Alvegård T, Reichardt P. One versus three years of adjuvant imatinib for operable gastrointestinal stromal tumor: A randomized trial. JAMA 2012;307:1265-72.

This trial established 3 years of adjuvant imatinib as the standard therapy worldwide for patients who have a high risk of GIST recurrence after surgery.

6. Joensuu H, Vehtari A, Riihimäki J, Nishida T, Steigen Eriksson S, Brabec P, Plank L, Nilsson B, Cirilli C, Braconi C, Bordoni A, Magnusson M, Linke Z, Suffliarsky J, Massimo F, Jonasson J, Dei Tos AP, Rutkowski P. Risk of gastrointestinal stromal tumour recurrence after surgery: an analysis based on pooled population-based cohorts. Lancet Oncol 2012;13:265-74.

This article described a new scheme to estimate the risk of GIST recurrence after surgery based on global population-based patient cohorts and nonlinear statistics. This scheme is frequently being used world-wide.

7. Joensuu H. Risk stratification of patients diagnosed with gastrointestinal stromal tumor. Hum Pathol 2008;39:1411-9.

This article describes the “Modified NIH Classification” for operable GIST. This classification is one of the most frequently used risk estimation schemes for GIST patients.

8. Joensuu H, Kellokumpu-Lehtinen, PL, Bono P, Alanko T, Kataja V, Asola R, Utriainen T, Kokko R, Hemminki A, Tarkkanen M, Turpeenniemi-Hujanen T, Jyrkkiö S, Flander M, Helle L, Ingalsuo S, Johansson K, Jääskeläinen AS, Pajunen M, Rauhala M, Kaleva-Kerola J, Salminen T, Leinonen M, Elomaa I, Isola J. Adjuvant docetaxel or vinorelbine with or without trastuzumab for breast cancer. N Engl J Med 2006;354:809-20.

This trial (FinHER) evaluated a short (9-week) adjuvant trastuzumab treatment in a patient population with HER2-positive early breast cancer. The FinHER trial ignited the initiation of several other randomized trials where the duration of adjuvant imatinib was investigated in HER2-positive early breast cancer.

9. Demetri GD, von Mehren M, Blanke CD, van den Abbeele A, Eisenberg B, Roberts PJ, Heinrich, MD, Tuveson D, Singer S, Janicek M., Fletcher JA, Silverman S, Harmon D, Silberman S, Capdeville R, Kiese B, Peng B, Dimitrijevic S, Druker B, Corless C, Fletcher CDM, Joensuu H. Antitumor effects of an oral selective tyrosine kinase inhibitor, imatinib mesylate, in patients with advanced gastrointestinal stromal tumors. N Engl J Med 2002;347:472-80.

This trial established the safety and efficacy of imatinib in the treatment of advanced GIST. Imatinib was approved largely based on the results, and GIST became the first solid tumor to be treated with a tyrosine kinase inhibitor. Imatinib is still the standard first-line treatment for patients with advanced (metastatic) GIST extending survival substantially.

10. Joensuu H, Roberts P, Sarlomo-Rikala M, Andersson L, Tervahartiala P, Tuveson D, Silberman S, Capdeville R, Dimitrijevic S, Druker B, Demetri G. Clinical response induced by the tyrosine kinase inhibitor STI571 in metastatic gastrointestinal stromal tumor expressing a mutant c-kit proto-oncogene. N Engl J Med 2001;344:1052-6.

This article describes the first GIST patient who was treated with imatinib, formerly known as STI571. The findings fueled initiation of prospective randomised multicentre trials in advanced GIST.