When Jeff Schottenstein's wife, Sara, was diagnosed with gastric cancer, he immediately went into action and left no stone unturned in researching potential solutions to address her rare type of cancer. Working with both the doctors at Stanford, and mobilizing a network of pharmaceutical and industry contacts, he dedicated his efforts to uncovering solutions beyond traditional treatment methods.

Thanks to the Schottensteins’ dedication and their belief that more options were needed for gastric cancer patients, the innovative dual-drug trial they envisioned became reality. Despite the fact that Sara would not benefit, Jeff made a gift in her honor that he hopes might someday provide better options for others suffering from the disease.

The phase II clinical trial at Stanford looked at two immunotherapy agents for the treatment of metastatic stomach and esophageal cancer. Immunotherapies help harness the power of a patient’s immune system to fight cancer. In a phase II trial, investigators are interested in proving efficacy, a first step in evaluating a promising drug combination.

As a committed gastric cancer patient advocate, Jeff Schottenstein continues to partner with Stanford as founder and president of the Sara Schottenstein Foundation.