August 4, 2025 Breaking News, Latest News, and Videos

Revolutionary Immunotherapy: Dr. O’Day Tackles T-cells at Providence Saint John’s

By Staff Writer

Steven J. O’Day, MD is the Professor of Medical Oncology and the Director of Immuno-Oncology and Clinical Research at The John Wayne Cancer Institute and Providence Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, California. Through his work at the John Wayne Cancer Institute at Saint John’s Health Center, Dr. O’Day has revolutionized how melanoma is treated around the world. He has begun applying that same treatment to other cancers in hopes of making as big of an impact on solid tumor treatments as he has done with his work in melanoma.

“We are going through a revolution in the treatment of cancer around the field of the Immunotherapy, using the immune system to fight cancer. Immunotherapy has absolutely revolutionized the treatment of melanoma, but even more importantly, other cancers are benefitting from what we have learned from treating melanoma,” said Dr. O’Day. “We’re now able to harness the immune system’s T-cells, which are cells in the immune system that normally protect us from cancer.”

Dr. O’Day explained that new treatments for melanoma involve giving patients intravenous T-cell antibodies to reinvigorate T-cells that have been exhausted or rendered inactive by a cancer, bringing them back into a working state.

This treatment has resulted in a long-term benefit for 50 and 60 percent of melanoma patients, and has been approved for use in the treatment of lung, bladder, kidney, head, neck, and other cancers. The more the treatment is refined, the success rate will steadily approach that of its efficacy against melanoma.

“At the John Wayne Cancer Institute at Saint John’s, we’ve been a worldwide leader in the research into the immune system and cancer,” said Dr. O’Day. “It’s really a revolutionary time. In some disease, we are using immunotherapy before chemotherapy and reserving chemotherapy when immunotherapy doesn’t work said Dr. O’Day. Immunotherapy has different side effects and toxicities that are often better tolerated then the side effects of chemotherapy.

Dr. O’Day has been practicing at Providence Saint John’s for more than 20 years “It’s been very gratifying to see the success in melanoma, and now I spend a lot of time educating doctors around the world how to use these drugs not only on melanoma but other malignancies,” said Dr. O’Day.

Aside from his work in immunotherapy, additionally, Dr. O’Day works with the team at the John Wayne Cancer Institute in researching and developing new treatments, through clinical research and laboratory research.

Through clinical research, the staff at the John Wayne Cancer Institute runs clinical trials, testing the efficacy of newly developed treatments against a control group of patients. Laboratory research involves analyzing tissue and blood samples from patients with specific responses to new treatments in order to analyze what in the treatment caused that particular result.

Grants from the federal government, private foundations and philanthropic donations all support the cutting-edge and high level of research that defines the work being done at the John Wayne Cancer Institute.

Steve J. O’Day, M.D. works with the team at the John Wayne Cancer Institute.
Photo: Providence Saint John’s.
<>Related Posts

(Video) Festival of Chariots Transforms Venice Beach Into a Showcase of Indian Culture

August 4, 2025

August 4, 2025

First held in Los Angeles in 1976, the festival draws inspiration from the ancient Jagannath Puri festival in India Festival...

Side-by-Side Beachfront Homes in Santa Monica  Hit Market for $23M Each

August 4, 2025

August 4, 2025

Designed with minimalist luxury, the residences showcase floor-to-ceiling glass walls and views of the Pacific Ocean Two modern beachfront homes,...

Lane Closures Set for Pacific Coast Highway This Week for Utility Work

August 3, 2025

August 3, 2025

The closure marks the third and final stage of constructing a new bridge at Corral Canyon Road, where Caltrans is...

Selling Sunset Star Close to Closing $30M Off-Market Deal for Kanye West’s Former Malibu Compound

August 3, 2025

August 3, 2025

Amanda Lynn Quietly Flips Kanye’s Abandoned Malibu Bunker Real estate agent Amanda Lynn, known for her on-screen presence in Selling...

Adult Great White Spotted Close to Shore in Santa Monica Waters

August 3, 2025

August 3, 2025

Shark Filmed Near Santa Monica Pier Just 50 Yards From Shore Rare footage of an adult great white shark swimming...

Heidi Klum’s Tropical Erewhon Smoothie Drops Just in Time for Summer

August 2, 2025

August 2, 2025

Supermodel’s Limited-Edition Drink Blends Kiwi, Coconut, and Matcha Erewhon has debuted its newest celebrity smoothie collaboration, this time with supermodel...

California Bolsters Firefighting Fleet Amid Federal Cuts

August 2, 2025

August 2, 2025

The transition, which began in 2020, equips the fleet with advanced technology, including a 1,000-gallon water capacity—nearly triple that of...

Big Blue Bus to Restore Service on Route to Palisades

August 2, 2025

August 2, 2025

The restoration is part of a broader summer service overhaul aimed at improving coverage across the Westside The Big Blue...

Fatal Crash Claims 9-Year-Old’s Life in Los Angeles

August 1, 2025

August 1, 2025

The driver of the vehicle remained at the scene and was arrested for driving under the influence A tragic traffic...

Malibu Hires New City Manager: Ronda Perez to Lead as City Eyes Recovery and Rebuilding

August 1, 2025

August 1, 2025

Veteran Public Administrator Ronda Perez Brings Nearly 20 Years of Experience to Malibu The Malibu City Council has voted unanimously...

Santa Monica Creates Film Office to Streamline Permitting and Production Services

August 1, 2025

August 1, 2025

New Agency Will Take Over From FilmLA After More Than a Decade Beginning September 1, 2025, film permit coordination in...

Santa Monica Pier Launches “PIERfect Benefit” Fundraiser Amid Recovery Efforts

August 1, 2025

August 1, 2025

The gathering will feature food, signature cocktails, live entertainment, and a program reflecting the Pier’s history and future. Proceeds will...

THIS WEEKEND: 49th Annual Festival of the Chariots to Roll Through Santa Monica and Venice

August 1, 2025

August 1, 2025

The festival site at Ocean Front Walk Plaza will transform into a lively showcase of Indian culture, expecting around 50,000...

Film Review: The Fantastic Four: First Steps

August 1, 2025

August 1, 2025

FILM REVIEWTHE FANTASTIC FOUR: FIRST STEPSRated PG-13115 MinutesReleased July 25th  The Fantastic Four: First Steps has a different aura from...

Aging Mindfully: Zen-Inspired Senior Living Takes Shape in Simi Valley

July 31, 2025

July 31, 2025

Two Zen-inspired senior living communities are embracing the reality of aging — consciously. Ensō Village, open since 2023 in Sonoma County,...