POPULARITY
7 episodes with Liquid biopsy
5 episodes with Liquid biopsy
4 episodes with Liquid biopsy
2 episodes with Liquid biopsy
3 episodes with Liquid biopsy
3 episodes with Liquid biopsy
3 episodes with Liquid biopsy
3 episodes with Liquid biopsy
2 episodes with Liquid biopsy
Harald Müller-Huesmann spricht mit Ralf-Dieter Hofheinz über GI-Highlights vom Amerikanischen Krebskongress: ctDNA-gesteuerte Adjuvanz beim Stadium-II-Kolonkarzinom, Daraxonrasib beim vorbehandelten metastasierten Pankreaskarzinom und HER2-gerichtete ADC-Daten beim fortgeschrittenen CRC im Fokus.
Dr. Marty Makary out as FDA Commissioner—was he the victim of a BigPharma purge? Are “liquid biopsies” useful for predicting recurrences, as well as guiding therapy, for cancer? Nighttime smartphone by adolescents surges, eroding kids' sleep needs; Persistent itch may require an “all of the above” approach to break its vicious cycle—could topical vitamin B12 provide an answer? Study critiques research methods that fast-tracked new Alzheimer's drugs.
In today's episode, we welcomed Pedram Razavi, MD, PhD, and Dara S. Ross, MD. Dr Razavi is a breast medical oncologist and director of Liquid Biopsy & Genomics at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York, New York. Dr Ross is an associate attending pathologist at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.In our exclusive interview, Drs Razavi and Ross discussed the evolution of ESR1 mutation–directed breast cancer management, emphasizing the role of comprehensive genomic testing at metastatic recurrence, including liquid biopsy and tissue sequencing. They highlighted that ESR1 mutations can develop in patients receiving aromatase inhibitors and that the detection of these mutations is crucial for treatment decisions. They also highlighted findings from the phase 3 SERENA-6 trial (NCT04964934), which tested switching to camizestrant upon the emergence of an ESR1 mutation during treatment with an aromatase inhibitor and a CDK4/6 inhibitor ahead of radiographic disease progression in patients with hormone receptor–positive, HER2-negative metastatic breast cancer. Despite concerns from the FDA's Oncologic Drugs Advisory Committee (ODAC) about SERENA-6's design and overall survival outcomes, the experts praised the trial's innovative approach to personalizing breast cancer management based on biomarkers and noted ways that the ODAC decision may affect future clinical research in this field.
In this Mol Bio Minutes mini-episode of Speaking of Mol Bio, Dr. Andrea Hunger walks listeners through the practical differences between three core PCR approaches: endpoint PCR, quantitative PCR (qPCR), and digital PCR. Drawing on her experience in both academic research and industry, she explains how each technique provides different types of information and why choosing the right one depends on the biological question being asked. Endpoint PCR is the simplest method and is ideal for basic presence-or-absence questions such as confirming cloning success or genotyping samples. While fast and accessible, it does not provide quantitative information. For experiments requiring measurement of gene expression levels or comparisons between samples, qPCR offers a powerful solution by monitoring amplification in real time and using Ct values and standard curves to estimate starting concentrations. Hunger then discusses digital PCR, a newer technology that partitions samples into many micro-reactions to enable highly precise, absolute quantification of nucleic acids. Because it counts positive and negative partitions directly, digital PCR is especially valuable for detecting rare mutations, low-abundance targets, and applications like liquid biopsy analysis. Ultimately, she emphasizes that these PCR approaches are complementary tools, and the best experimental strategy is to choose the method that provides the level of information required for the next step in a research workflow. Helpful resource links mentioned in this episode: Access educational eBook covering all three types of PCR and their use in gene expression analysis. Watch a video on when to choose digital vs. real-time PCR. Use the PCR primer design tool from Thermo Fisher. Access Harvard's PrimerBank, a public resource of PCR primers. Subscribe to get future episodes as they drop and if you like what you're hearing we hope you'll share a review or recommend the series to a colleague. Visit the Invitrogen School of Molecular Biology to access helpful molecular biology resources and educational content, and please share this resource with anyone you know working in molecular biology. For Research Use Only. Not for use in diagnostic procedures.
Talk 1: Dr Natalie Cook, The Christie NHS Foundation Trust - Unknown Primary, Known Target: The Agnostic Approach to Precision OncologyTalk 2: A/Prof Jia (Jenny) Liu, St Vincent's Hospital Sydney -PANNACOTA Final Analysis – Synergies from liquid biopsy and a phase 1 networkTalk 3: Dr Udit Nindra, Wollongong and Liverpool Hospitals - Financial, social and time toxicity in early-phase cancer clinical trials: The PEARLER studyTalk 4: Prof Aaron Hanson, Princess Alexandra Hospital Brisbane - Patient Reported Outcomes toolkit for Phase I trialsTalk 5: Dr Rachel Galimidi, Garvan Institute of Medical Research - Discovery and translation, trials and tribulations
Die Krebsmedizin steht vor einem Wendepunkt: Die Liquid Biopsy könnte Tumore früher erkennen als bisherige Methoden. Besonders bei aggressiven Krebsarten wie Bauchspeicheldrüsenkrebs könnte dies entscheidend sein. Bauchspeicheldrüsenkrebs gehört zu den tückischsten Krebsarten. Der Tumor wächst oft unbemerkt, zeigt kaum Symptome und wird meist spät entdeckt. Dann ist Heilung oft nicht mehr möglich, was die Überlebensrate senkt. Ein weiteres Problem ist die Biologie des Tumors. Er bildet früh Metastasen und schafft ein Umfeld, das das Immunsystem hemmt und Therapien erschwert. Hier greift die Liquid Biopsy. Statt Gewebeproben analysiert man Blutproben, um Tumorspuren wie zirkulierende Tumor-DNA oder Krebszellen zu finden. Der große Vorteil: - Nicht-invasiv (keine Operation nötig) - Wiederholbar (Verlaufskontrolle möglich) - Ganzheitlicher Blick auf den Tumor Diese Methode könnte nicht nur bei der Diagnose helfen, sondern auch Therapien individueller gestalten und deren Erfolg überwachen. Trotz der vielversprechenden Technologie gibt es Hürden. Für den Einsatz als Screening-Test bei Gesunden muss sie extrem zuverlässig sein. Ein zentrales Problem: - Falsch-positive Ergebnisse könnten unnötige Angst und belastende Untersuchungen auslösen - Kleinste Tumorsignale müssen sicher erkannt werden Gerade bei seltenen Krebsarten wie Bauchspeicheldrüsenkrebs ist das Verhältnis von Nutzen und Aufwand kritisch. Derzeit arbeitet man intensiv an Multi-Cancer-Tests, die mehrere Krebsarten gleichzeitig erkennen sollen. Erste Studien zeigen, dass sogar frühe Tumorstadien detektierbar sind, doch es besteht noch Verbesserungsbedarf bei Genauigkeit und Sensitivität. Ein vielversprechender Ansatz ist die Kombination von Liquid Biopsy mit künstlicher Intelligenz. Durch die Analyse komplexer Datenmuster könnten Tumorsignale präziser identifiziert werden. Die Liquid Biopsy könnte die Krebsdiagnostik revolutionieren. Vor allem bei schwer erkennbaren Tumoren wie Bauchspeicheldrüsenkrebs könnte sie Leben retten. Bis zur breiten Anwendung im Gesundheitssystem wird es jedoch noch Jahre dauern. Entscheidend wird sein, dass die Tests nicht nur technisch funktionieren, sondern auch die Überlebenschancen nachweislich verbessern. Die Vision bleibt klar: Ein einfacher Bluttest als Teil der Vorsorgeuntersuchung – und Krebs wird erkannt, bevor er zur Gefahr wird.
Cutting-edge research does not necessarily guarantee patient access.Welcome to Pharma Minds, Mini-Series “Who controls innovation?". In this mini-series, we explore one question in two parts: who controls innovation and who actually makes it happen.Artificial intelligence in oncology is booming. Public programs, private partnerships, and massive volumes of data are driving the field forward. Yet, as China closely observes European research, a critical issue remains: the gap between academic excellence and actual industrial deployment.In this episode, we explore where strategy meets reality with Prof. Nathalie Lassau, radiologist at the Gustave Roussy Institute (IGR), professor at Paris Saclay University, and INSERM researcher.Prof. Lassau is a master of execution. From labeling 55,000 metastases to integrating her innovations into ultrasound machines worldwide, she has spent her career bridging the gap between research, clinical practice, and private industry.Driven by relentless pragmatism and resilience, she collaborates with giants like INRIA, Canon Medical, OWKIN, and Guerbet to build revolutionary platforms for cancer prevention and treatment.But despite these massive efforts, the patient often remains caught in a fragile position between lab breakthroughs and bedside access.In this episode, we cover:◾️ The reality of AI in Oncology: How massive data and public-private partnerships are transforming cancer care.◾️ The execution gap: Why Europe produces world-class research but struggles with equal patient access.◾️ Building bridges: Prof. Lassau's insights on forcing collaboration between academia and the private sector.◾️ The global observation: How China is watching Europe's AI advancements.◾️ The power of resilience: How overcoming structural obstacles is required to drive true medical innovation.If Europe excels in AI research, why does access remain unequal? Is it regulation, industrial caution, or the fragmentation of our healthcare systems?
In this episode, Therese Markow and Dr. John Kisiel discuss early cancer detection using liquid biopsies. Dr. Kisiel explains that liquid biopsies detect cancer signals in blood and urine, including tumor cells, fragments, proteins, and DNA. He highlights the FDA's approval of a blood test for colon cancer and the development of multi-cancer early detection tests. Dr. Kisiel notes that false positive and false negative rates vary by test. He emphasizes the potential of liquid biopsies to complement, not replace, standard screening methods and the need for further validation and clinical trials. Key Takeaways: Liquid biopsies have been used in the oncology community to test if cancer is still present, may need additional or more aggressive treatment, or if the cancer has come back. Each test will have its own false positive and false negative rate, partially based on where manufacturers set the thresholds for that positive/negative result. Peripheral blood-based tests for colon cancer do not detect polyps, and it's the finding and removing of polyps that actually offers the greatest preventive benefit, so that somebody never gets cancer in the first place. "Another word of cautious optimism, I think that I, personally, and many other people active in the space really view these as an addition to standard of care cancer screening and not a replacement." — Dr. John Kisiel Connect with Dr. John Kisiel: Professional Bio: https://www.mayo.edu/research/faculty/kisiel-john-b-m-d/bio-00092659 Connect with Therese: Website: www.criticallyspeaking.net Bluesky: @CriticallySpeaking.bsky.social Instagram: @criticallyspeakingpodcast Email: theresemarkow@criticallyspeaking.net Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.
Send a textDr. Tomasz Beer, MD is a nationally recognized medical oncologist and clinical research leader who serves as Chief Medical Officer for Multi-Cancer Early Detection at Exact Sciences Corporation ( https://www.exactsciences.com/ ), a molecular diagnostics company focused on the eradication of cancer by preventing it, detecting it earlier, and guiding personalized treatment.Before joining Exact Sciences, Dr. Beer spent decades at the forefront of academic oncology, including serving as Deputy Director of the Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) Knight Cancer Institute, where he helped build one of the country's leading precision cancer programs.A prostate cancer specialist by training, Dr. Beer has led numerous clinical trials, authored hundreds of peer-reviewed publications, and been a driving force in advancing biomarker-guided cancer therapy. His career has spanned the evolution of oncology—from empiric chemotherapy to precision medicine and now toward population-scale cancer detection.Today, Dr. Beer is helping lead one of the most ambitious shifts in cancer care: moving from late-stage treatment to early detection across multiple tumor types through advanced molecular diagnostics and blood-based screening technologies.#MultiCancerEarlyDetection #CancerInterception #LiquidBiopsy #PrecisionOncology #CancerPrevention #Immunotherapy #EarlyDetection #OncologyInnovation #CancerResearch #MCEDSupport the show
In this powerful episode, we sit down with Dr. Joe Zundell — aka “Cancer Daddy” — for a wide-ranging conversation on cancer science, early detection, and what's actually moving the field forward. We cover: • Multi-cancer early detection (MCED) testing and the promise of liquid biopsies • Accuracy, limitations, and clinical decision-making • Metabolic vulnerabilities in cancer (Warburg effect, glutamine dependence) • Epigenetics and tumor biology • Immunotherapy, targeted therapies, and radiopharmaceuticals • Translational research and the bench-to-bedside gap • Drug resistance and evolutionary pressure in cancer treatment • Personalized risk reduction and prevention strategies We also get very personal in this episode — discussing loss, integrity in academia, career pivots, and what truly drives Dr. Zundell's mission in cancer research. This is an honest, science-first, and deeply human conversation about cancer, prevention, innovation, and responsibility in modern medicine. Coach Vinny Email: vinny@balancedbodies.io Instagram: vinnyrusso_balancedbodies Facebook: Vinny Russo Dr. Eryn Email: dr.eryn@balancedbodies.io Instagram: dr.eryn_balancedbodies Facebook: Eryn Stansfield Dr. Joe Zundell Email: drjoezundell@gmail.com Instagram: dr.joezundell LEGION 20% OFF CODE Go to https://legionathletics.com/ and use the code RUSSO for 20% off your order!
In this episode of 'Conversations in Lung Cancer Research,' A/Prof Mel Moore talks with Prof Michael Millward, Foundation Professor of Clinical Cancer Research at the University of Western Australia and the oncology Medical Director at Linear Clinical Research in Perth. They discuss Prof Millward's extensive background in clinical and research interests in lung cancer and melanoma, the evolution of clinical trials, and the future of medical oncology, touching on molecular diagnostics, liquid biopsies, and early phase drug development. Millward also shares personal anecdotes and practical advice for young oncologists seeking to integrate clinical research into their careers.(00:00) Introduction and Acknowledgements(00:31) Guest Introduction: Professor Michael Millward(01:49) Early Career and Training(05:23) Specialisation in Oncology(08:15) Advancements in Molecular Oncology(15:03) Building a Phase One Unit(21:37) Mentorship and Future of Clinical Trials(28:23) Future of Lung Cancer Treatment(30:33) Closing Remarks and Final Thoughts
In this episode of Longevity by Design, host Dr. Gil Blander sits down with Dr. Wei-Wu, Executive Chairman at Human Longevity, Inc. Together, they explore how advances in genome sequencing, AI, and multi-layered diagnostics are changing the fight against age-related diseases. Wei-Wu shares why understanding your own genetic risks and combining them with other health data leads to better prevention and a longer healthspan.Wei-Wu explains the value of integrating genome sequencing, advanced imaging, and liquid biopsy to catch diseases like cancer early, before symptoms appear. He draws on real-world examples, including how combining different tests can spot cancers that single methods might miss. The conversation highlights how technology brings down costs, making once-rare insights widely available, and how each person stands to benefit from personalized risk profiles.The episode closes with practical advice: use today's tools to become the CEO of your own health. Wei-Wu urges listeners to embrace data-driven, individualized care and stresses that no single tool or habit holds all the answers. Instead, true longevity comes from a holistic, ongoing approach, one that uses all available knowledge to prevent disease and extend both life and health.Guest-at-a-Glance
Advances in molecular diagnostics are reshaping how cancer is detected, monitored, and treated, and liquid biopsy is becoming central to that progress. This simple blood draw can reveal key tumor biology at diagnosis and over time, providing timely insight and guiding more precise decisions throughout a patient's journey. Clinicians now face an important challenge: knowing what is actionable today and what is coming next so more patients can benefit from the promise of these advances.As we kick off Season 7, host and patient advocate Karan Cushman expands this season's focus on Bringing Precision Medicine to Everyone with a deeper look inside the science of liquid biopsy. The conversation features two leaders shaping the field: Dr. Christian Rolfo, Division Director of Medical Oncology at The James Comprehensive Cancer Center at Ohio State University, and Dr. Roberto Borea, Medical Oncologist and emerging investigator from the Rolfo Lab.Together, they break down the scientific momentum driving liquid biopsy forward, including tumor fraction, MRD-guided treatment strategies, resistance monitoring, fragmentomics, and the expanding frontier of early detection. They also discuss the barriers that continue to slow broader adoption, such as assay variability, limited standardization, reimbursement gaps, and operational challenges in community settings.In this episode, we cover:• How tumor fraction is emerging as a meaningful real-time biomarker• Where MRD-driven escalation and de-escalation strategies are heading• The current promise and limitations of early detection and MCED testing• What is required to standardize liquid biopsy across reporting, workflows, and clinical trialsEpisode 70 offers a clear look at the advances researchers are helping drive right now and what these developments could mean for clinicians, laboratories, and patients in the near future.This conversation builds on episode 69 with Dr. Kashyap Patel, who introduced the foundations of liquid biopsy and its role in accelerating treatment decisions. Combined, these two episodes offer clinicians and patients an overview of where the science and real-world applications stand now and where the field is headed next.
his episode of 'Conversations in Lung Cancer Research' hosted by Dr Alex Davis, features a discussion with Dr. Laird Cameron and Dr. Annie Wong on the current state of lung cancer care and research in New Zealand. The panel explores the challenges and disparities faced by thoracic cancer patients, particularly among the indigenous Māori population. The conversation highlights the differences between patient populations in New Zealand and Australia, the impact of rurality on cancer care, the importance of clinical trials and multinational collaborations, and the future prospects for lung cancer treatments and interventions. (00:00) Introduction and Acknowledgements(01:01) Exploring Lung Cancer in New Zealand(01:13) Meet the Experts: Dr. Laird Cameron and Dr. Annie Wong(01:48) Challenges in Lung Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment(02:44) Specialisation Stories: Why Lung Cancer?(05:20) Comparing Patient Populations: New Zealand vs. Australia(07:44) Lung Cancer Care Pathways in New Zealand(09:17) Access to Treatments and Therapies(14:57) The Role of Lung Cancer Nurses(18:21) Rural Challenges in Lung Cancer Care(22:06) Radiology and Diagnostic Delays(23:08) CTDNA and Liquid Biopsy in New Zealand(25:03) Strengths and Weaknesses in Lung Cancer Care(29:29) The Impact of Clinical Trials and TOGA(33:00) Future Interventions and Wishlists(39:33) Concluding Thoughts and Farewell
In this episode of TGen Talks, we sit down with three researchers who are working to make cancer care safer and more precise for some of the most vulnerable patients—children with rare brain tumors. Dr. Floris Barthel, Dr. Shea Gallus, and graduate student Sharvari Mankame are part of a team at TGen and Phoenix Children's Hospital exploring liquid biopsies—a method that uses small samples of blood or spinal fluid to detect and monitor brain cancer. This approach could reduce the need for invasive surgeries, which are especially hard on young patients. Our guests explain how liquid biopsies work, what they're learning from genetic markers called K-mers, and how artificial intelligence is helping them analyze tumor DNA in ways that weren't possible before. Their goal is to find a better way to track cancer in real time—giving doctors more information while easing the burden on patients and families. While this science is still developing, it's already showing real potential to shift how we approach diagnosis and treatment—not just in pediatrics, but across cancer care.
Liquid biopsy is breaking speed and access barriers in precision oncology. In this episode of the Precision Medicine Podcast, part of our series Bringing Precision Medicine to Everyone and the first in a two-part focus, founder and host Karan Cushman speaks with Dr. Kashyap Patel, CEO of Carolina Blood and Cancer Care Associates, author, and national leader in value-based oncology.Together, they explore how liquid biopsy is changing the diagnostic and treatment landscape. This blood-based test can deliver results in days, be repeated as needed, and reduce the need for invasive procedures. Tissue biopsy remains important, but when the samples are too small or unsuitable for testing, liquid biopsy provides a valuable alternative in guiding treatment decisions and monitoring disease.For patients with aggressive “turbo cancers” such as diffuse large B-cell lymphoma or small cell lung cancer, the time saved can be lifesaving. Karan shares her own experience with DLBCL, while Dr. Patel highlights real-world cases where liquid biopsy revealed actionable mutations, informed therapy, or enabled minimal residual disease (MRD) monitoring.Finally, Dr. Patel underscores the need for standardization and payer alignment to move liquid biopsy from innovation to everyday practice. This candid discussion frames liquid biopsy not as a futuristic idea, but as a clinically powerful and scalable tool that is closing gaps in precision oncology today.
ANGLE PLC (AIM:AGL, OTCQX:ANPCY) chief executive Andrew Newland talked with Proactive's Stephen Gunnion about the company's newly announced partnership with Myriad Genetics. Newland explained that the collaboration marks a critical milestone in ANGLE's strategy to align its Parsortix liquid biopsy system with leading diagnostic companies. He said: “Myriad Genetics is the first one of those to actually sign up with us to do a joint development program.” Myriad Genetics, which generates nearly $1 billion annually in revenue and employs around 2,700 staff, currently bases most of its diagnostic tests on tumour tissue. According to Newland, the move to apply these tests on circulating tumour cells offers important benefits such as repeat testing, easier patient access, and the potential for earlier cancer detection. He highlighted that Myriad will cover the development costs, providing ANGLE with revenue during the process and opening up major commercialisation opportunities. If successful, the collaboration could see Myriad run hundreds of thousands of tests using ANGLE's Parsortix technology. Newland added that this deal also sets a precedent for similar agreements with other diagnostic companies, which could significantly broaden ANGLE's market reach and support widespread adoption of liquid biopsy testing in oncology. For more interviews like this, visit Proactive's YouTube channel. Don't forget to like this video, subscribe to the channel, and enable notifications so you never miss future updates. #ANGLEPLC #MyriadGenetics #CancerTesting #LiquidBiopsy #OncologyDiagnostics #MedicalPartnership #HealthcareInnovation #BloodTestForCancer #CancerDetection #InvestorNews
Synopsis: Some of the most game-changing ideas in healthcare come from unexpected intersections—where engineering meets biology, and where data meets patient urgency. This episode of Biotech 2050 dives into that exact convergence with a look at how one visionary leader helped pioneer blood-based cancer diagnostics. Co-CEO & Co-Founder of Guardant Health, AmirAli Talasaz, shares the story behind building one of biotech's most impactful companies. From a graduate student navigating genomics for the first time to raising over $3 billion and leading a public company, he reflects on lessons learned, obstacles faced, and what it takes to create a patient-first culture at scale. The conversation explores the technology behind liquid biopsies and companion diagnostics, the challenges of insurance reimbursement, and how Guardant's innovations are helping detect recurrence and screen for early-stage cancers—all through a simple blood test. Hosted by Biotech 2050 Co-Founder Rahul Chaturvedi, this episode is packed with insights on biotech leadership, pharma partnerships, and building a company that scales with both urgency and heart. Biography: AmirAli Talasaz is the co-CEO of the leading precision oncology company, Guardant Health, which he co-founded in 2012 with Helmy Eltoukhy. Prior to co-founding Guardant Health, he was senior director of Diagnostics Research at Illumina and led the efforts for emerging clinical applications of next-generation genomic analysis. Before Illumina, he founded Auriphex Biosciences, which focused on purification and genetic analysis of circulating tumor cells for cancer management. Talasaz received his PhD in electrical engineering and MSc in management science from Stanford University.
A multi-site randomized trial found that the suicide-prevention app OTX202 reduced repeat suicide attempts by 58% and sustained lower suicidal ideation through 24 weeks, especially in high-risk patients with prior attempts. A phase 3 trial showed canagliflozin significantly improved glycemic control in children and adolescents with type 2 diabetes, with safety comparable to adults. Finally, the SWIFT-SEG liquid biopsy detected multiple myeloma tumor cells in over 90% of cases, offering a less invasive alternative to bone marrow biopsies for diagnosis, monitoring, and precision treatment.
“Colorectal cancer treatment is not just about eliminating a disease. It's about preserving life quality and empowering patients through every phase. So I think nurses are really at the forefront that we can do that in the oncology nursing space. So from early detection to survivorship, the journey is deeply personal. Precision medicine, compassionate care, and informed decision-making are reshaping outcomes. Treatment's just not about protocols. It's about people,” ONS member Kris Mathey, DNP, APRN-CNP, AOCNP®, gastrointestinal medical oncology nurse practitioner at The James Cancer Hospital of The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center in Columbus, told Jaime Weimer, MSN, RN, AGCNS-BS, AOCNS®, manager of oncology nursing practice at ONS, during a conversation about colorectal cancer treatment. Music Credit: “Fireflies and Stardust” by Kevin MacLeod Licensed under Creative Commons by Attribution 3.0 Earn 1.0 contact hour of nursing continuing professional development (NCPD) by listening to the full recording and completing an evaluation at courses.ons.org by August 1, 2026. The planners and faculty for this episode have no relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies to disclose. ONS is accredited as a provider of nursing continuing professional development by the American Nurses Credentialing Center's Commission on Accreditation. Learning outcome: Learner will report an increase in knowledge related to the treatment of colorectal cancer. Episode Notes Complete this evaluation for free NCPD. ONS Podcast™ episodes: Episode 370: Colorectal Cancer Screening, Early Detection, and Disparities Episode 153: Metastatic Colorectal Cancer Has More Treatment Options Than Ever Before ONS Voice articles: Colorectal Cancer Prevention, Screening, Treatment, and Survivorship Recommendations Genetic Disorder Reference Sheet: Lynch Syndrome (Hereditary Nonpolyposis Colorectal Cancer) How Liquid Biopsies Are Used in Cancer Treatment Selection Oncology Drug Reference Sheet: 5-Fluorouracil Oncology Drug Reference Sheet: Oxaliplatin What Is a Liquid Biopsy? Clinical Journal of Oncology Nursing article: Colorectal Cancer in Young Adults: Considerations for Oncology Nurses Oncology Nursing Forum article: Neurotoxic Side Effects Early in the Oxaliplatin Treatment Period in Patients With Colorectal Cancer ONS Colorectal Cancer Learning Library ONS Biomarker Database (filtered by colorectal cancer) ONS Peripheral Neuropathy Symptom Interventions American Cancer Society colorectal cancer resources CancerCare Colorectal Cancer Alliance Colorectal Cancer Resource and Action Network Fight Colorectal Cancer National Comprehensive Cancer Network To discuss the information in this episode with other oncology nurses, visit the ONS Communities. To find resources for creating an ONS Podcast club in your chapter or nursing community, visit the ONS Podcast Library. To provide feedback or otherwise reach ONS about the podcast, email pubONSVoice@ons.org. Highlights From This Episode “Colorectal cancer has several different types, but there is one that dominates the landscape, and that is adenocarcinoma. So I think most of us have heard that. It's fairly common, and it accounts for about 95% of all colorectal cancers. It begins in the glandular cells lining the colon or rectum and often develops from polyps, in particular adenomatous polyps.” TS 1:41 “One of the biomarkers that we'll most commonly hear about is KRAS or NRAS mutations. This indicates tumor genetics, and these mutations suggest resistance to our EGFR inhibitors such as cetuximab. BRAF mutation or V600E is a more aggressive tumor subtype, and those may respond to our BRAF targeted therapy. … And then our MSI-high or MMR-deficient—microsatellite instability or mismatch repair deficiency—that really predicts an immunotherapy response and may indicate Lynch syndrome, which is a huge genetic component that takes a whole other level of counseling and genetic testing with our patients as well.” TS 6:02 “Polypectomy or a local excision—that removes our small tumors or polyps during that colonoscopy. And that's what's used for those stage 0 or early stage I cancers. A colectomy removes part or all of the colon. This may be open or laparoscopic. It can include a hemicolectomy, a segmental resection, or a total colectomy, so where you take out the entire part of the colon. A proctectomy removes part or all of the rectum. This may include a low anterior resection, also known as an LAR … or an abdominal perineal resection, which is an APR. … Colostomy or ileostomy—that diverts the stool to an external bag via stoma. Sometimes this is temporary or permanent depending on the type of surgery.” TS 14:11 “We'll have our patients say, ‘Hey, I want immunotherapy therapy. I see commercials on it that it works so well.' We have to make sure that these patients are good candidates for it, also that we're treating them adequately. We need to make sure that they have those biomarkers, so as I mentioned, the MSI-high or MMR tumors. Our MSS-stable tumors—they may benefit from newer combinations or clinical trials. Metastatic disease—immunotherapy may be used alone or with other treatments. And then in the neoadjuvant setting, some trials are really showing promising results using immunotherapy prior to surgery.” TS 25:38 “Antibody-drug conjugates are really an exciting frontier in all cancer treatments as well as colorectal cancer treatment. This is used mainly for patients with advanced or treatment-resistant disease, and these therapies combine the targeted power of monoclonal antibodies with the cell-killing ability of potent chemotherapy agents. They're still on the horizon for the most part in colorectal cancer. However, there is only one approved antibody-drug conjugate, or ADC, at this time, and that's trastuzumab deruxtecan, or Enhertu. That's approved for any solid tumor, such as colorectal cancer with HER2 IHC 3+. So again, looking back at that pathology in those markers, making sure that you have that HER2 mutation and that IHC.” TS 35:00 “There are a few myths going around about colorectal cancer treatment that can lead to confusion or even delayed care. One myth is only older men get colorectal cancer. As you heard me talk in my previous podcast on screening, unfortunately, this isn't necessarily true. Colorectal cancer affects both men and women and our cases in the younger population are rising. So our screening guidelines have changed to age 45 because we are seeing it in the younger population.” TS 45:54
Sheng Zhong, Ph.D. pioneers technologies that advance women's reproductive health. Zhong develops a minimally invasive method to analyze extracellular RNA secreted by embryos during IVF. By sequencing tiny samples of spent culture media, they generate comprehensive RNA profiles and use machine learning to identify biomarkers that predict embryo quality with accuracy comparable to traditional imaging. This breakthrough offers a gentler, data-driven alternative for assessing embryo viability, with the potential to improve live birth rates and support families navigating infertility. Zhong's research highlights the power of molecular innovation to transform fertility care and address critical challenges in women's health. Series: "Motherhood Channel" [Health and Medicine] [Show ID: 40676]
Sheng Zhong, Ph.D. pioneers technologies that advance women's reproductive health. Zhong develops a minimally invasive method to analyze extracellular RNA secreted by embryos during IVF. By sequencing tiny samples of spent culture media, they generate comprehensive RNA profiles and use machine learning to identify biomarkers that predict embryo quality with accuracy comparable to traditional imaging. This breakthrough offers a gentler, data-driven alternative for assessing embryo viability, with the potential to improve live birth rates and support families navigating infertility. Zhong's research highlights the power of molecular innovation to transform fertility care and address critical challenges in women's health. Series: "Motherhood Channel" [Health and Medicine] [Show ID: 40676]
Sheng Zhong, Ph.D. pioneers technologies that advance women's reproductive health. Zhong develops a minimally invasive method to analyze extracellular RNA secreted by embryos during IVF. By sequencing tiny samples of spent culture media, they generate comprehensive RNA profiles and use machine learning to identify biomarkers that predict embryo quality with accuracy comparable to traditional imaging. This breakthrough offers a gentler, data-driven alternative for assessing embryo viability, with the potential to improve live birth rates and support families navigating infertility. Zhong's research highlights the power of molecular innovation to transform fertility care and address critical challenges in women's health. Series: "Motherhood Channel" [Health and Medicine] [Show ID: 40676]
Sheng Zhong, Ph.D. pioneers technologies that advance women's reproductive health. Zhong develops a minimally invasive method to analyze extracellular RNA secreted by embryos during IVF. By sequencing tiny samples of spent culture media, they generate comprehensive RNA profiles and use machine learning to identify biomarkers that predict embryo quality with accuracy comparable to traditional imaging. This breakthrough offers a gentler, data-driven alternative for assessing embryo viability, with the potential to improve live birth rates and support families navigating infertility. Zhong's research highlights the power of molecular innovation to transform fertility care and address critical challenges in women's health. Series: "Motherhood Channel" [Health and Medicine] [Show ID: 40676]
Sheng Zhong, Ph.D. pioneers technologies that advance women's reproductive health. Zhong develops a minimally invasive method to analyze extracellular RNA secreted by embryos during IVF. By sequencing tiny samples of spent culture media, they generate comprehensive RNA profiles and use machine learning to identify biomarkers that predict embryo quality with accuracy comparable to traditional imaging. This breakthrough offers a gentler, data-driven alternative for assessing embryo viability, with the potential to improve live birth rates and support families navigating infertility. Zhong's research highlights the power of molecular innovation to transform fertility care and address critical challenges in women's health. Series: "Motherhood Channel" [Health and Medicine] [Show ID: 40676]
Sheng Zhong, Ph.D. pioneers technologies that advance women's reproductive health. Zhong develops a minimally invasive method to analyze extracellular RNA secreted by embryos during IVF. By sequencing tiny samples of spent culture media, they generate comprehensive RNA profiles and use machine learning to identify biomarkers that predict embryo quality with accuracy comparable to traditional imaging. This breakthrough offers a gentler, data-driven alternative for assessing embryo viability, with the potential to improve live birth rates and support families navigating infertility. Zhong's research highlights the power of molecular innovation to transform fertility care and address critical challenges in women's health. Series: "Motherhood Channel" [Health and Medicine] [Show ID: 40676]
Drs Park and Malla began by talking through the clinical utility of ctDNA in patients with stage II and III colon cancer. Dr Malla referenced the DYNAMIC (ACTRN12615000381583) and observational BESPOKE CRC (NCT04264702) trials, noting that ctDNA serves as a prognostic biomarker for recurrence and is increasingly used to guide post-surgical surveillance.
Imagine a future where you go in for your annual check-up and get a blood test to screen for cancer, in the same way you currently get screened for high cholesterol or diabetes. Some hope that liquid biopsy technology could eventually make this possible — but it has a long way to go before it gets to that point. Laborastories host Dr. Anthony Killeen sits down with Dr. Christina Lockwood for a realistic outlook on this exciting technology and an overview of the challenges that must be overcome before it's put into routine use. With special guest: Dr. Christina Lockwood Hosted by: Dr. Anthony Killeen
In this episode of “Answers From the Lab,” William Morice II, M.D., Ph.D., CEO and president of Mayo Clinic Laboratories, invited Min-Han Tan, M.B.B.S., FRCP, Ph.D., founding CEO and medical director of Lucence, to discuss liquid biopsy cancer testing. Mayo Clinic Laboratories and Lucence recently announced a collaboration to expand access to this cutting-edge cancer test that is designed to detect clinically relevant biomarkers in ctDNA and ctRNA.During their conversation, Dr. Morice and Dr. Tan explore:Inspiration for developing the liquid biopsy.Features that differentiate LiquidHALLMARK® from existing cancer tests.Patients who will benefit from the test and how an oncologist might use the results.The future potential of liquid biopsy advancements.
Physician Ash Alizadeh has seen the future of disease diagnosis and monitoring. It is coursing through every patient's veins. Traditionally, biopsies have required invasively gathering tissue – from a lung, a liver, or a fetus. Now it's possible to look for disease without surgery. The DNA is sitting there in the bloodstream, Alizadeh tells host Russ Altman, as they preview the age of liquid biopsies on this episode of Stanford Engineering's The Future of Everything podcast.Have a question for Russ? Send it our way in writing or via voice memo, and it might be featured on an upcoming episode. Please introduce yourself, let us know where you're listening from, and share your quest. You can send questions to thefutureofeverything@stanford.edu.Episode Reference Links:Stanford Profile: Ash A. Alizadeh, MD/PhDConnect With Us:Episode Transcripts >>> The Future of Everything WebsiteConnect with Russ >>> Threads / Bluesky / MastodonConnect with School of Engineering >>> Twitter/X / Instagram / LinkedIn / FacebookChapters:(00:00:00) IntroductionRuss Altman introduces guest Ash Alizadeh, a faculty member at Stanford University in Oncology and Medicine.(00:03:39) What is a Liquid Biopsy?Accessing tissues non-invasively using bodily fluids.(00:04:31) Detecting Cancer with Liquid BiopsiesHow localized cancers can be detected through blood samples.(00:06:32) The Science Behind Cancer DNA DetectionThe differences between normal and cancer DNA(00:09:51) How Liquid Biopsy Technology WorksThe technologies behind detecting cancer-related DNA differences.(00:12:36) Advances in Liquid BiopsyNew detection approaches using non-mutant molecules and RNA.(00:14:10) RNA as a Real-Time Tumor MarkerHow RNA reveals active tumor processes and drug resistance.(00:15:55) Tracking Cancer ReccurenceUsing tumor-informed panels to monitor cancer recurrence.(00:16:28) Adapting to Tumor EvolutionWhy core mutations remain detectable despite cancer changes.(00:17:57) Stability of DNA, RNA, and MethylationComparing durability and reliability of different biomarkers.(00:20:49) Listener Question: Early Cancer DetectionDaniel Kim asks about pre-cancer detection and its potential impact.(00:24:44) Liquid Biopsy in ImmunotherapyUsing liquid biopsy to track and improve immune-based treatments.(00:27:35) Monitoring CAR T-Cell TherapyHow liquid biopsy helps assess immune cell expansion.(00:32:02) EPIC-Seq: Inferring RNA from DNAUsing DNA fragmentation to predict gene expression in tumors.(00:34:49) Targeting Tumor Support SystemsTreatment strategies disrupting the tumor microenvironment.(00:35:52) Conclusion Connect With Us:Episode Transcripts >>> The Future of Everything WebsiteConnect with Russ >>> Threads / Bluesky / MastodonConnect with School of Engineering >>>Twitter/X / Instagram / LinkedIn / Facebook
Imagine detecting cancer with just a single drop of blood. In this episode of the Beautifully Broken Podcast, host Freddie Kimmel engages in a compelling conversation with Dr. Joshua Routh, MD, a distinguished expert in pathology and molecular oncology. Dr. Routh serves as the Laboratory Director for high-complexity clinical laboratories and holds the position of Associate Professor of Pathology at Midwestern University. He is also the Medical Director for Precision Epigenomics Inc., where he focuses on multi-cancer early detection tests.Together, they examine the science behind EPISEEK, discussing how it analyzes epigenetic markers in the blood to identify potential cancer signals. The conversation covers the importance of methylation in gene expression, the emotional implications of cancer testing, and who should consider getting tested. Dr. Routh emphasizes the need for patient autonomy and informed decision-making in the context of cancer screening. They also explore the advancements in multi-cancer early detection tests, focusing on the technology behind EPISEEK, its cost, and the current lack of insurance coverage. The discussion touches on the implications of abnormal test results, the importance of patient-doctor collaboration, and the need for a holistic approach to health that includes lifestyle factors. Additionally, they discuss the strengths and limitations of current cancer detection technologies and the importance of comprehensive health monitoring.Highlights1:32 Introduction: Personal Reflections on the Importance of Early Cancer Detection3:05 Understanding EpiSeek: A Breakthrough in Liquid Biopsy Technology for Cancer Detection5:40 The Science of EpiSeek: How It Works to Detect Cancer Early8:14 The Role of Methylation in Gene Expression and Its Link to Cancer Growth10:42 Gene Expression and Epigenetics: Why They Matter in Cancer Screening13:20 Interpreting Test Results: What to Do After Receiving an Abnormal Finding16:35 Who Should Get Tested? Assessing Risk Factors, Family History, and Lifestyle19:48 The Emotional Impact of Cancer Screening and the Decision Not to Test22:14 Comparing EpiSeq to Other Multi-Cancer Early Detection Tests25:52 Insurance Coverage for Multi-Cancer Tests: Current Challenges and Future Prospects29:30 Next Steps After an Abnormal Test Result: Further Screening and Actions33:40 The War on Cancer: How Lifestyle Choices Influence Cancer Risk36:15 - Evaluating the Strengths and Limitations of Current Cancer Detection Technologies40:28 - The Importance of Comprehensive Health Monitoring Beyond Single TestsUPGRADE YOUR WELLNESSEpiSeq Test: https://www.precision-epigenomics.com/episeqExclusive $50 Discount Offer (Valid Until August 1, 2025): https://www.precision-epigenomics.com/offerSilver Biotics Muscle Cream: https://www.silverbiotics.com (Use Code: BEAUTIFULLYBROKEN for Discount)Saga Bands: https://ca.saga.fitness/?ref=titvyccmCode: beautifullybrokenStemRegen: https://www.stemregen.co/products/stemregen?_ef_transaction_id=&oid=1&affid=52Code: beautifullybrokenLightPathLED https://lightpathled.pxf.io/c/3438432/2059835/25794Code: beautifullybroken CONNECT WITH FREDDIE Check out my website and store: (http://www.beautifullybroken.world) Instagram: (https://www.instagram.com/beautifullybroken.world/) YouTube: (https://www.youtube.com/@BeautifullyBrokenWorld)
In this episode of Onc Now, Jonathan is joined by Dr Dave Cescon, a Medical Oncologist and Clinician Scientist at the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, Toronto, Canada. Together, they explore the transformative impact of CDK4/6 inhibitors, challenges in liquid biopsy research, and the potential of mRNA vaccines in oncology. Timestamps: (02:44) -Swimming in Toronto: Competitive vs. Open Water (08:06) -From Internal Medicine to Breast Cancer Research (14:09) -Translational research and circulating tumour DNA (19:53) -The role of CDK4/6 inhibitors in breast cancer (29:04) -FDA approval of ribociclib for high-risk early breast cancer (31:45) -The future of mRNA vaccines for personalised cancer care (37:34) -Dave's research challenges and innovations (39:13) -Three wishes for healthcare
In this episode of the Radiology Podcast, Dr. Lauren Kim speaks with Dr. Lama Dawi about a groundbreaking study comparing liquid biopsy and CT imaging in assessing tumor burden. They explore the strengths, limitations, and future of liquid biopsy in cancer diagnostics and precision medicine. Can it replace CT scans? Liquid Biopsy versus CT: Comparison of Tumor Burden Quantification in 1065 Patients with Metastases. Dawi et al.Radiology 2024; 313(2):e232674.
In today's episode, we had the pleasure of speaking with David R. Gandara, MD, about biomarker testing in lung cancer. Dr Gandara is the chief medical officer of the International Society of Liquid Biopsy, the co-director of the Center for Experimental Therapeutics in Cancer, and the senior advisor to the director at the University of California Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center in Sacramento, and an adjunct clinical professor in the Translational and Clinical Research Program at the University of Hawaii Cancer Center in Honolulu. In our exclusive interview, Dr Gandara discussed the optimal use of liquid biopsy for patients with non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), the ins and outs of testing for KRAS mutations, and available treatment options for patients with KRAS-mutant NSCLC.
Modern science, especially in the genetic and molecular biology spaces, generate vast amounts of data, and require vast amounts of data to be generated for thorough analysis. For example, finding a rare gene mutation such as BCR-ABL as a biomarker for chronic myeloid leukemia is like searching for a needle in a haystack. For a situation like this, dPCR is an ideal method, but high-throughput automation is also needed.Dr. Clarence Lee, Senior Product Manger at Thermo Fisher Scientific, tells how the QuantStudio™ Absolute Q™ AutoRun dPCR suite helps make the benefits of digital PCR available in an easy-to-use high-throughput system. The conversation covers how automation benefits are provided by MAP16 plates, system software, and the AutoRun plate hotel and loading robot. Clarence also talks about customer applications where he sees automation like this being applied to innovate and drive science forward. In the career corner portion, we learn about Clarence's journey from chemist and biophysicist, to roles in industry and his current role as a product manager. He shares what he loves most about his job and what he's most proud of over his career that has spanned several diverse roles. Visit the Absolute Gene-ius pageto learn more about the guests, the hosts, and the Applied Biosystems QuantStudio Absolute Q Digital PCR System.
On this week's episode of the Balancing Chaos Podcast, Kelley sits down with certified brain-health coach Kayla Barnes to discuss all things biohacking, brain health and how we can live as long and as well as possible. Kayla is an entrepreneur and biohacker with a mission to help her clients and community achieve optimal health through science and research-backed approaches. Kayla has been named one of the top longevity leaders globally and has been featured in Forbes, Thrive Global, Byrdie and more. Barnes has a background in nutrition, has trained under the renowned brain doctor, Dr. Daniel Amen, and is the owner of the wellness space LYV. Through their conversation, Kelley and Kayla dive into the latest science-backed wellness tools to elevate cognitive function and eliminate brain fog. By understanding the way hormones and gut health play a role in brain health, we can optimize the way we think and feel by harnessing the power of those connections. From what testing you should be doing on your gut, hormones and brain to the best diet for brain health and how to lower your toxic burden and which biohacking tools are actually worth the money and time, we go over everything you've ever wanted to know about brain health, mood, and mental health.To connect with Kelley click HERETo book a lab review click HERETo connect with Kayla click HERE
In this episode, listen to Alice T. Shaw, MD, PhD, and Jessica J. Lin, MD, share their thoughts on the current understanding of ROS1 rearrangements in non-small-cell lung cancer tumor biology and its implications for molecular testing and treatment selection including:ROS1-gene fusions in advanced lung cancerROS1 testing recommendations with DNA NGS, RNA NGS, FISH break apart assay, and IHCComparative specificity of ROS1 and ALK targeting tyrosine kinase inhibitorsAdvantages of RNA- vs DNA-based next-generation sequencing Program faculty:Jessica J. Lin, MDAttending PhysicianMassachusetts General HospitalAssociate Professor of MedicineHarvard Medical SchoolBoston, MassachusettsAlice T. Shaw, MD, PhDChief, Strategic PartnershipsAttending Physician, Thoracic OncologyDana-Farber Cancer InstituteHarvard Medical SchoolBoston, MassachusettsResources:To download the slides associated with this podcast discussion, please visit the program page
In this episode of the Veterinary Cancer Pioneers Podcast, Dr. Rachel Venable interviews Dr. Heather Wilson-Robles, Chief Medical Officer at Volition Veterinary and a seasoned veterinary oncologist with a rich history spanning academia and industry. Dr. Wilson-Robles shares insights on the crucial role mentorship has played throughout her career, starting from her early exposure to pediatric oncology, which led her to veterinary oncology. She discusses the significant impact that mentor-mentee relationships have had on her personal growth and professional development. The episode offers a deep dive into Dr. Wilson-Robles's contributions to the field and her ongoing efforts to advance veterinary oncology.
In this episode, Dr. Geo engages in a detailed discussion with Dr. Eric Klein, a leading expert in prostate cancer. They delve into the genetics behind prostate cancer, exploring genetic predispositions and the mechanics behind genetic mutations. The conversation highlights the emerging role of liquid biopsies in detecting and monitoring prostate cancer, with Dr. Klein explaining the potential of next-generation sequencing in identifying DNA mutations and cancer signals in the bloodstream. They also discuss the utility and limitations of tests like Gallery's GRAIL and the influence of methylation and gene mutations on cancer behavior. Emphasis is placed on understanding cancer biology for more targeted treatment, integrating biologic signals with clinical staging systems, and the future implications for patient care and treatment monitoring. Tune in for an in-depth look at how genetics and innovative technologies revolutionize prostate cancer diagnosis and treatment.-----------Thank you to our sponsors.This episode is brought to you by Mr. Happy products-formulated by Dr. Geo Espinosa, these products address age-related health concerns like BPH and declining sexual health. By boosting nitric oxide levels and providing antioxidant support, Mr. Happy products help improve cardiovascular health, energy levels, cellular health, sexual health, mood, and stress levels. Experience the benefits of Mr. Happy products and visit > IamMrHappy.com This episode is also brought to you by AG1 (Athletic Greens). AG1 contains 75 high-quality vitamins, minerals, whole-food sourced ingredients, probiotics, and adaptogens to help you start your day right. This special blend of ingredients supports your gut health, nervous system, immune system, energy, recovery, focus, and aging. All the things. Enjoy AG1 (Athletic Greens).----------------Thanks for listening to this week's episode. Subscribe to The Dr. Geo YouTube Channel to get more content like this and learn how you can live better with age.You can also listen to this episode and future episodes of the Dr. Geo Podcast by clicking HERE.----------------Follow Dr. Geo on social media. Facebook, Instagram Click here to become a member of Dr. Geo's Health Community.Improve your urological health with Dr. Geo's formulated supplement lines:XY Wellness for Prostate cancer lifestyle and nutrition: Mr. Happy Nutraceutical Supplements for prostate health and male optimal living.You can also check out Dr. Geo's online dispensary for other supplement recommendations Dr. Geo's Supplement Store____________________________________DISCLAIMER: This audio is educational and does not constitute medical advice. This audio's content is my opinion and not that of my employer(s) or any affiliated company.Use of this information is
When you have a good thing going you often want it to last forever, but we know that can never happen. Life and the world around us are fluid, dynamic, and we're always finding the balance of fighting or harnessing entropy and inevitable change.As we encounter unexpected changes, we see them as chances to evaluate the foundations of our podcast's success while finding opportunities to evolve it and make it even better. Join us for a reflection of where we are, how we got here, and a sneak preview at what's to come. We're here to assure you, evolution is a good thing!
In this day and age, young people are now getting cancer at a tremendous rate.A constant worry in all our families is the fear that a family member - old or young - would suddenly emerge as someone who is battling the late stages of cancer. This would usually lead to thousands of dollars availing of treatment for an illness that's already widespread within the body without assurance that the cancer cells will be depleted in the body enough to consider the individual recovered. With that in mind, Quantgene is setting a new standard in the medical field as they conduct liquid biopsy partnered with the DNA Company's genomic tech.In this episode, Tracy Wood, CEO of the DNA Company, along with Dr. Krista Kostroman, CSO of the DNA Company, is joined by Jo Bhakdi, CEO of Quantgene. The trio discuss the importance of preventive care, most especially when it comes to talks of cancer detection. As mentioned in the former paragraph, it is better to detect cancer in its early stages to ensure that it doesn't come to a point where it has overtaken the body. They discuss what liquid biopsy is and its benefits when individuals invest in such tests. The episode also tackles what steps must be taken beyond detection. This means making an effort in conducting lifestyle changes and strategic prevention to take a stand against the war on cancer while all is not lost, and there's still hope.If you wish to learn more from Jo Bhakdi and Quantgene, you may do so through the following links:Jo Bhakdi's Instragram account at https://www.instagram.com/jobhakdi/Quantgene's website at https://quantgene.com/Quantgene's Instagram Account at https://www.instagram.com/quantgene/▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬Keep yourself up to date on The DNA Talks Podcast! Follow our socials below:The DNA Talks Podcast Instagram https://www.instagram.com/dnatalkspodcast/Dr. Krista Kostroman's Official Instagram Page https://www.instagram.com/drkostromanofficial/This episode may also be viewed on YouTube▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬Music: Inspiring Motivational Background by Stock-Waveshttps://www.stock-waves.com/https://protunes.net/Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pbwVDTn-I0o&list=PLQtpqy3zeTGB7V5lkhkfBVaiZyrysv_fG&index=5▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬Music: Peaceful Corporate by Stock-Waveshttps://protunes.net/Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I34bTKW8ud0&list=PLQtpqy3zeTGB7V
KSQD 5-01-2024: This week's show explores how healthcare systems can inflict "moral injury" on dedicated doctors. We examine instances where factors like insurance company prior authorizations prevent optimal patient care and discuss related research. Dr. Dawn explores sweetness perception, reviewing a new study on how our bodies detect both natural sugars and substitutes like xylitol and stevia. We learn how substitutes can provide sweetness without insulin spikes and subsequent appetite increases. We discuss the critical importance of measles vaccination, the challenges of maintaining live virus vaccine potency, and a promising new vaccine technology undergoing trials. A new study investigates the potential benefits of combining time-restricted eating with high-intensity exercise. Although all participants lost weight, the combined approach led to gains in lean body mass. Finally, we survey several exciting advances in cancer research. Dr. Dawn explores improvements in cancer cell targeting, the statistics of liquid biopsies for cancer detection, and a groundbreaking drug that halts aggressive breast cancer growth. We also investigate a new mRNA-based treatment that stimulates cancer cell death specifically within the tumor environment.
KSQD 5-01-2024: This week's show explores how healthcare systems can inflict "moral injury" on dedicated doctors. We examine instances where factors like insurance company prior authorizations prevent optimal patient care and discuss related research. Dr. Dawn explores sweetness perception, reviewing a new study on how our bodies detect both natural sugars and substitutes like xylitol and stevia. We learn how substitutes can provide sweetness without insulin spikes and subsequent appetite increases. We discuss the critical importance of measles vaccination, the challenges of maintaining live virus vaccine potency, and a promising new vaccine technology undergoing trials. A new study investigates the potential benefits of combining time-restricted eating with high-intensity exercise. Although all participants lost weight, the combined approach led to gains in lean body mass. Finally, we survey several exciting advances in cancer research. Dr. Dawn explores improvements in cancer cell targeting, the statistics of liquid biopsies for cancer detection, and a groundbreaking drug that halts aggressive breast cancer growth. We also investigate a new mRNA-based treatment that stimulates cancer cell death specifically within the tumor environment.
AI and predictive modeling to understand an individual's immune system function and predict treatment response are still in very early stages. We dream about precision medicine and getting every answer we can for ourselves when we get sick. However, if we look at genomics, only about 20 percent of human coding genes are well-studied. The remaining 80 percent (about 16,000 genes, along with the proteins they make) are largely a mystery. In this episode, you will hear more about the field of immuno-oncology, understand the correlation between tumor development and immune system response, and trends in cancer detection and prevention, especially liquid biopsies - tests for detecting tumors in blood samples. Speaker: Brian Hashemi - Executive Chairman and CEO of Novigenix - a Swiss-based biotech company using AI and RNA sequence analysis to capture the cancer immunity cycle during the multi-stage disease progression and response to therapy. www.facesofdigitalhealth.com https://fodh.substack.com/ Show notes: [00:02:00] The use of AI and RNA sequence analysis in capturing the cancer immunity cycle and disease progression [00:04:00] Biotech in Switzerland [00:06:00] The impact of Swiss biotech capabilities on global healthcare and the specific advancements made by Swiss companies in the field. [00:08:00] Predictions and hopes for the future of healthcare technology, especially in the realms of cancer detection and treatment. [00:10:00] Challenges and opportunities in biotech, and the role of AI in advancing healthcare. [00:12:00] Challenges in Colorectal Cancer Screening [00:14:00] The Impact of Liquid Biopsy on Clinical Trials and Drug Development [00:16:00] Market Adoption and Patient Accessibility to Liquid Biopsy Tests [00:18:00] The Future of Liquid Biopsy and Precision Medicine [00:20:00] Real-world Application and Impact of Novel Biomarkers [00:22:00] Expanding the Reach of Novel Diagnostics Beyond Switzerland [00:24:00] Partnerships and Collaborations to Accelerate Adoption
JCO PO author Dr. Christian Rolfo shares insights into his JCO PO article, “Liquid Biopsy of Lung Cancer Before Pathological Diagnosis Is Associated With Shorter Time to Treatment.” Host Dr. Rafeh Naqash and Dr. Rolfo discuss how early liquid biopsy in aNSCLC in parallel with path dx is associated with shorter time to treatment. TRANSCRIPT Dr. Rafeh Naqash: Hello and welcome to JCO Precision Oncology Conversations, where we bring you engaging conversations with authors of clinically relevant and highly significant JCOPO articles. I'm your host, Dr. Rafeh Naqash, Social Media Editor for JCO Precision Oncology and Assistant Professor at the Stephenson Cancer Center, University of Oklahoma. Today we are thrilled to be joined by Dr. Christian Rolfo, Associate Director of Clinical Research at the Center of Thoracic Oncology at the Tisch Cancer Institute at Mount Sinai Health System. He is also the lead author of the JCO Precision Oncology article entitled "Liquid Biopsy of Lung Cancer Before Pathological Diagnosis is Associated with Shorter Time to Treatment." Our guest's disclosures will be linked in the transcript. Christian, it's great to have you here. Welcome to our podcast and we are excited to learn about some of the interesting results from your study. Dr. Christian Rolfo: Thank you very much, Rafeh. It's a pleasure to be here and discuss about liquid biopsy. Dr. Rafeh Naqash: You have a very important role in different liquid biopsy consortiums. This is an initiative that you have been leading and spearheading for quite a while, and it's nice to see that it is becoming something of a phenomenon now on a global scale where liquid biopsies are being implemented more and more in earlier stages, especially. For the sake of our audience, which revolves around academic oncologists, community oncologists, trainees, and patient advocates or patients themselves, could you tell us a little bit about the background of what liquid biopsies are? And currently, how do we utilize them in the management of lung cancer or cancers in general? Dr. Christian Rolfo: Liquid biopsy has been gaining importance over the years. We started to talk about liquid biopsy in 2009 when we started to see some correlations with EGFR mutations. In practicality, what we are doing is the most common or most applicable indication is to go for liquid biopsies from the blood, peripheral blood. So we are doing a blood draw and from there, what we are capturing is the DNA or fragments of DNA that are still in circulation. But the liquid biopsy definition is a little bit more broad and we can apply the concept of a minimally invasive approach to different fluids of the body, including pleural effusion, urine, and including CSF that is another indication, there, we are going to be a little bit more invasive than peripheral blood, but it is also an emerging tool that we will have to find specific indicators. In cancer, we started the history of liquid biopsy in advanced disease with the identification of biomarkers, and then from there, we are moving to other scenarios, including, nowadays, monitoring minimal residual disease and early detection. And that is applicable also for other tumors. Dr. Rafeh Naqash: Thank you, Christian, for that summary. Now, as you've rightly pointed out, we have come to implement liquid biopsies more and more, both in the academic setting and the community setting. And this has definitely led to faster turnaround time in some ways compared to tissue. In this study that you have authored with the help of many other collaborators and Foundation Medicine Flatiron Health data, the goal here, from what I understand, was to look at liquid biopsies that were done before, resulted before the pathological diagnosis. Could you tell us a little bit more about the premise of this study, why you thought about this question and how did you try to implement that idea to get to some of the interesting results that you see here? Dr. Christian Rolfo: Yeah, so what we are seeing generally in lung cancer and also in people with other tumors is that patients are having a journey and that they start seeing different doctors until they get a diagnosis. Generally, after the pathological diagnosis, if you don't have an in-house technology that is doing reflex testing, generally, oncologists need to request for testing and that is taking time. So if we are looking for comprehensive days until a patients are able to get a molecular profiling before we start the treatment is sometimes very long. We are talking, in some cases, about months. So, how we can speed the process, that was the main question. We tried to include liquid biopsy in the staging procedures that we generally were doing when we have a clinical diagnosis of lung cancer. It's either images that we are used to do, PET scans, MRIs, and other assessments, we want to include liquid biopsy there before the biopsy. And that's what we did. We were searching for this specific aim using the Flatiron Health Foundation Medicine electronic health records from 280 centers across the United States. We included a big number of patients in this analysis, more than 1000 patients for the first analysis. Dr. Rafeh Naqash: That's phenomenal that you had real-world data from 200+ centers across the US. Of course, when you have patients on a clinical trial versus patients in the real-world, we all know that there are differences in terms of approaching, overseeing, and managing these individuals. So this data set is an extension of what we could see in the real-world setting. Could you tell us a little bit about the number of patients that you eventually identified that had liquid biopsies done before pathological diagnosis? I think you have different cohorts here, a group that was before and a group that was after, and you compared several important metrics treatment-wise from what I see. Could you highlight those for our listeners? Dr. Christian Rolfo: Yeah. So we were looking for patients who had a liquid biopsy CGP, comprehensive genomic profiling, ordered within 30 days pre diagnosis and post diagnosis. We focused on 5.2% of patients, which corresponded to 56 patients who ordered a liquid biopsy before diagnosis. The median time was eight days between the order and diagnosis and the range was between 1 to 28 days. And that was compared with 1020 patients who ordered a liquid biopsy after diagnosis. It is important to be clear that both cohorts had a similar stage and ctDNA tumor fraction. We can explain later what tumor fraction is, because it was done in addition with a paper that we just published last week. Liquid biopsy patients were consulted to have this CGP median one day after diagnosis, versus 25 days after for patients who had their diagnosis and their liquid biopsy later on. So, from these patients, the majority of the patients, 43% of LBx-Dx were positive for an National Comprehensive Cancer Network driver, and 32% had ctDNA TF >1% but were driver negative, so that is what we call presumed true negative. From here, maybe I can explain what is tumor fraction and, in general, how we use it. Dr. Rafeh Naqash: I think that would be great for our listeners. We see this often in more and more liquid biopsy results nowadays, and I've tried to explain it to some of my fellows also. So, it would be nice if you explain for the sake of our listeners what tumor fraction is, what does it mean clinically, can you use it in a certain way, what biological relevance does it have. Dr. Christian Rolfo: So we are analyzing another paper that came out this week in cancer research on the concept of tumor fraction and it's a new definition. So what we are doing with tumor fraction is an algorithmic calculation or mathematical calculation on the amount of DNA of the cells also taking into consideration the math, the quantity of DNA present in the sample. So we are going very low in the sensitivity of this analysis and capturing there the real informative results of the ctDNA of the liquid biopsy. So in practicality, when you see a report that says the threshold that was established in this study was more than 1% or less than 1%, so patients who have a tumor fraction of more than 1%, we can really consider this liquid biopsy informative. And also in this next publication, we compared with tissue. In patients with a tumor fraction of more than 1%, were completely 100% correspondent with what we found in the reflected tumor tissue, the NGS. But what happened in patients with a tumor fraction of less than 1%, we can say that these patients are not informative. So we need to wait for the tissue biopsy result to come in because we were able to recuperate several patients that the liquid biopsy was negative with the tissue biopsy positive. This is an important concept because we are distinguishing not only the informativeness of liquid biopsy, but also we can distinguish between patients who are considered not shedder based on what is considered a shedder. And that was a problem until this kind of introduction was a problem before with the technology because the technology wasn't very fast to distinguish the sensitivity or high sensitivity. Now, the sensitivity is no longer a problem. Maybe, there is really value of information in what we have in liquid biopsy, and using this mathematical help, we can get these patients distinguished and help more people. So that would be really interesting. Dr. Rafeh Naqash: You touched on a few important concepts here, and one question I have, and I think there's no better person to answer this question. You're the right person to answer this question for our audience. Do you think when you have a liquid biopsy tumor fraction of less than 1%, and you have a tissue that is pending with an NGS, where tissue NGS has not resulted yet, but liquid biopsy results come in and tumor fraction is less than 1%. But let's say you have a non-smoker with a typical driver mutation and clinical characteristic positive individual in the clinic, and the tumor fraction is less than 1%. How much can you trust that liquid biopsy when the tumor fraction is less than 1%. Because do you think some of these driver mutations, like you mentioned, could be low shedders and you could miss a potentially actionable mutation on a liquid biopsy if the tumor fraction is less than 1%? Is that something that you've looked at or correlated or understood what would be the clinical meaning of that? Dr. Christian Rolfo: Absolutely. So there are two concepts here. A liquid biopsy could be non-informative, and that is what we saw in this paper. So you have patients that have a liquid biopsy negative, and that we see in the clinic, a liquid biopsy negative tissue biopsy positive. That could be because the liquid biopsy is not informative, but it could be also that the patient, for some biological reason, and we don't have an answer about that, they are not shedding the ctDNA in the bloodstream, ctDNA that we can capture. What we saw in different studies, including one of the papers that we presented also in ASCO last year with a MET amplification and METex14, for example. In the study that was the VISION study using tepotinib, you see that patients who have a liquid biopsy negative are doing a better outcome compared to a patient who have a liquid biopsy positive. So I believe that we still have patients who are not shedders for some biological reason, that could be put in together with patients who have more bone metastasis than organ metastasis, or patients who have more in location, for example in the brain. These patients are difficult to capture in ctDNA due to some biological reasons. But also you have patients who are non-shedders. For the technicality of the parts of this tumor fraction analysis, it is really important to distinguish that and we will hear more and more. So, as you say, we have already some reports in some companies like Foundation are doing, but some others like to incorporate this tumor fraction. And several in-house technologies allow also to have this kind of mathematical calculation. So that is what we are facing now, to really understand better the power of liquid biopsy. Dr. Rafeh Naqash: Now, some of the other things that your project or paper that you published with JCO PO does not necessarily cover is the payer aspect of this. Now, we've had more and more discussions, obviously, and more and more information has been highlighted with the payers that this is an important test and needs to be reimbursed, even though if you do tissue NGS, liquid biopsies are complementary to tissue. So taking both together is probably a better view of the overall tumor or the mutational status of the tumor. But one of the biggest holes in this whole process, and this is my personal experience, I want to know what you think, is that we can't order these tests when the patient is admitted to the hospital, and 50% or more patients end up getting diagnosed in the hospital during an inpatient stay. The average hospitalization for someone with lung cancer is five to seven days on average, and then another one to two weeks to get into the clinic to see an oncologist. So what would your thoughts be there? How can we improve things there in terms of, can we try to do something different so that the payers agree that, yes, you can send a liquid biopsy when the patient is admitted, because there's that 14-day Medicare rule? Has your team, or have you in particular, tried to navigate some of those issues, and what are your thoughts on how we can try to improve some of those conversations? Dr. Christian Rolfo: Yeah, that's a really good question, because here we are talking about inequities in access to the technology and the results and it's crucial. Several of our patients, specifically in lung cancer, they are coming to our consultations or to the emergency with a very bad situation so they need to be admitted immediately. And as you say, they can be there for one month waiting for results or for recovery or for stabilization of their general condition before we can start. Several of these patients will have some biomarkers that we can target with treatment. So in other words, I will say that this is a stupid rule because we cannot have in 2024 these kinds of limitations to access to treatment when we have on one side, the FDA is doing a terrific job to get drugs approved in a very short time, and on the other side we have payers who are not understanding the concept of molecular or precision oncology. So what we are trying to do in these cases, to be honest, is to navigate with the vendors and try to get this done. I generally send the samples because I consider that personally that it is a very crucial information. And in several cases, we have started targeted therapies while the patient is still admitted. So I think it's something that we need to put in a better effort, because already we are not doing enough for our patients, if you look at the data of the MYLUNG Consortium that was presented in ASCO some years ago on the testing performance in the community practice, 50% of the patients with lung cancer were tested there were only some in minority groups, African Americans, 39%. So I think we need to do better in education, but also from the payer side, it's really crucial that they understand this concept. Advocacy groups have a lot of say here. They are also doing an important job on that. We are now launching with ISLC, ISLB, Lung Cancer Europe, and Longevity in a survey that is to make also the patients aware what is the importance of molecular profiling, tissue or liquid biopsy, it's very important that you get something to treat the patient and select the right treatment. And even to say, there'll be a whole other work in your case so that is really important. Dr. Rafeh Naqash: Absolutely, I completely agree. We have made a lot of strides, but there is still a lot of room for improvement in terms of equity, access, and reimbursement. Now, one of the things that I noticed in your paper, and you could tell me a little bit more about this, when you looked at the pre-diagnosed liquid biopsies, meaning before tissue diagnosis, 56 individuals there suspected to have lung cancer, community-based testing was identified in 53 individuals versus academic being three. This is very encouraging when you see something like this happening in the community. Did you look at that? Did you try to understand why or how that was the case? Because in a general community setting, I would think that community practices have a more complicated system of reimbursement because they are dependent on direct reimbursement, whereas in bigger academic centers, there's some leeway here and there. So did you try to understand how they were able to order this before tissue, could you give us some insights there? Dr. Christian Rolfo: Yes, I think it was not big in this specific question, but it's a very interesting topic. Because we, generally, in academia, will believe that we are doing the things in advance and we are more, compared with the practical and the general practitioners or the general colleagues in the community practice, we have more resources. But sometimes, and it's true, obviously, we have more resources in terms of research and more opportunities in terms of clinical trials in some cases. But I think we understood with this minimal example that there is an important interest among general oncologists in the community practice to get this done. And this is something we need to emphasize, because sometimes we are putting the blame on our colleagues that are outside the academic centers on this lack of testing, and it's not really true sometimes. So this is a good point to start to work together and try to get more things done for our patients and try to get also the reality. I think one of the problems we will have in the future that we can face right now is the lack of new figures in this molecular profiling. I am referring, for example, molecular nurses or personnel that is working and helping to get this done. We need to have more people that are working in this education for the patients in the access to treatment and access to the technology, but also to navigate better these problems with payers that sometimes in some patients that seem to be overwhelming. Because when you talk about the $100 that could be extra, it's hard for some patients. So we need to be very conscious about that. So having a new figure in the hospitals and the community practices could help to test more patients. Dr. Rafeh Naqash: And I think at the end of the day, the payers or the reimbursement mechanisms need to understand that genomics is part of the diagnosis these days. It's not ancillary, it's not an addition, but it is part of the diagnosis. I'm pretty sure you have had similar instances where you get a confusing pathology result but then a genomic result points in a certain direction. You treat the patient in that direction, and then you see the patient benefiting in the tumor shrinking, which suggests that genomics is complementary to the path diagnosis. It's not necessarily a surrogate.You can't replace pathological diagnosis, but you can use genomics as a complementary diagnosis as part of the whole paradigm of treating the entire patient. So I think we definitely need more and more conversations like the ones that you're having or your liquid biopsy consortium is having and then more education from the FDA. Of course, more legislation, more advocacy. Going back to the paper, I did notice another interesting thing, which is, again, very encouraging is patients with lung cancer with a performance status of 2 or about had a decent proportion of testing done. Which, again, points out to the important concept of avoiding these preconceived biases that, “Hey. If somebody is not a great performance status, testing and finding something in that individual could potentially change a lot for the individual.” Do you have any personal examples from patients you have treated or seen in the clinic for our listeners where you identified something and maybe they were not doing as great initially, and then you identified something in liquid biopsy, treated them and it changed the entire course of their illness and whole trajectory for them? Dr. Christian Rolfo: Being working in lung cancer for years, everyone has this kind of patient that we see that their performance state was very bad. Obviously, as a clinician, we need to identify why the performance is bad and is deteriorating. So we see some patients in lung cancer, some of them, they can have a very important comorbidity packet that is associated with lung cancer. So in patients who have a deterioration for lung cancer, and we find a driver help in some patients that were doing a kind of a weakness, and that is something that we see in several patients, specifically in patients living with leptomeningeal disease. In some cases, when we start to do drivers that have a big impact in the crossing the blood-brain barrier, I have a good response. I have patients that had an important recovery. So this is something we need to distinguish and sometimes when the patients seem very bad they say, “Okay, we go directly to targeted care or supportive care.” We try to test these patients as well because these patients have an important impact on the quality of life that we are treating. We will not be able to cure patients in this setting with targeted therapies, but we can certainly make an impact in the quality of life and also in our form of survival. Dr. Rafeh Naqash: One of the other questions that comes up often when you're in a multi display team, since most cancers these days are on the multi display decision making opportunities to treat the patient the best possible way is: Who orders the liquid biopsy? I remember from my fellowship several years back, our program director Paul Walker, who is, again, an amazing lung cancer thoracic oncologist, he had advocated that our endoscopic suite folks, the bronchoscopist, whether it was pulmonary, interventional pulmonology or CT surgeons, whoever did the bronchoscopy for the first time in the patient that they would send it whenever they see the patient from the bronchs. This was around six, seven years back. And I think Paul was a little ahead of his time and I didn't necessarily understand the implications that this would have. And now, as I progress in my own little career, I can see the vision that he had, which I think a lot of other sectors have tried to do, and I'm pretty sure you have a certain process, too. Is that something we should try to talk more and more about? Because, of course, when you do the bronch, then you get a diagnosis and the patient sees the oncologist. This whole process takes anywhere from two to three weeks, maybe even more for smaller centers. So, is that something that you're doing or you see that you're having more conversations that, “Hey. Whoever sees the patient first should be able to order the liquid biopsy.” It's not necessarily the medical oncologists, it doesn't mean I love to order sequencing results or sequential tests, but it could cause a delay in the patient care. So, could you tell us a little bit more of that? Dr. Christian Rolfo: So it's really important, this part, because we need to create in our institution flows that will have this very well organized. And ideally, in the ideal world will be that we have reflex tests coming from the pathologist, but it's not happened in several places, because we don't have our NGS at home, or we are sending to vendors, and sometimes we are not sending to them. So that is one of the aspects. The second aspect, and that I think is still a problem in some treatment, is that we still have 24:30 cytologists coming out in place of covariances. And in our institution, we were working very hard with our interventional pulmonologists and interventional radiologists to get this quality of tissue appropriate, and we have a very good rate of success and issues in a very minimal quantity of patients. Obviously, some patients are very difficult to get samples, and we need to refer still with cytology. But in some cases, where our surgeons or our pulmonologists have sent in samples for NGS, and I think this is we are coordinating. “I will see this patient next week. Can you please start to order?” And here, our nurse practitioner, our nurses in the team are also playing an important role for the reason I insist in the idea to have new figures that could be these molecular navigators we can call, or molecular nurses that helping coordinate this, not only the coordination, but also in the discussion of molecular tumor boards. We did an experience like that some years ago at Maryland University, and actually it was a very important opportunity to decrease the number of quantities of issues and get the results done very quickly. So I think it's important to come to have conversations with our colleagues, pulmonologists, radiation radiologists, interventional radiologists, pulmonologists and pathologists to get this done very quickly. Dr. Rafeh Naqash: I love the idea of molecular navigators. And of course, everybody in the current day and age, we're having staffing issues, so getting a molecular navigator would be awesome, but I'm not necessarily sure how everybody would be able to implement it. But I think in the bigger picture, whether it's molecular navigators or multi disciplinary nurse navigators in general, liaisons in general, I think we all can do a better job in trying to coordinate some of these testings. And we have tried to do that through our thoracic oncology group and of course, there's a lot of progress that needs to be made, one step at a time. Dr. Christian Rolfo: If somebody is interested in this topic on the International Society of Liquid Biopsy, we started with a project that is called a Certificate for Advanced Studies in Precision Oncology. So we are educating the healthcare team for all this process and trying to get practical insights to have this career later. Because I think it will be something that's interesting for nurses or pharmacists to get this kind of career later or get another approach in their career. Dr. Rafeh Naqash: Thank you so much, Christian. Now, going to not the scientific part, which I think is the most interesting part of this conversation is to talk about you and your personal journey. Could you tell us a little bit about where you started, what your career has been like, how did you progress? Because you have a lot of junior faculty that listen to this and it's always good to take inspiration from people like yourself. Dr. Christian Rolfo: Thank you. As you can hear my accent, it's not from here. So I was born in Argentina, I did my medical degree there. And then I had the opportunity to get a scholarship in Italy. I went to Italy and I stayed there for seven years. I did my fellowship there again, and I started to know there precision oncologists. My journey started in sarcoma. And actually I was working in the group of Dr. Casali's group, a very well known sarcoma expert. And at that time we were running phase I trials for imatinib, I remember, known as GIST. I saw this kind of response and awakening of patients that were really in very bad condition, with only through this imatinib. Very little to treat that disease at that moment, a median overall survival of two months. So I started to be interested in that. Then I moved from there to Spain and met Dr. Rafael Rossell, who was my mentor. In Italy, I have also a mentor in breast cancer, Dr. Luca Gianni, one of the pioneers in breast cancer treatment. So knowing all these people and having the support of them, was really crucial. So I think this is the first advice for junior faculty: try to choose your mentor, even if your mentor is not in your center. Like the case, for example, Rafael Rossell was not in my hospital, but he was my mentor. So having this kind of discussion, I did my PhD in EGFR mutation, at that time was the fashion, not immunotherapy, of the moment. And then from there, after eight years in Spain, I moved to Belgium. I have a short period of completing my training at MD Anderson and I went to Belgium to Antwerp University and that was the opportunity to become the Director of the phase I program in the Early Clinical Trials Unit. It was really exciting to see growing a unit, and now they continue at the center in Belgium. My colleagues that stayed there, they are doing a terrific job of continuing this idea. And from there I went to Baltimore, three years working at Maryland University being the Director of Thoracic Oncology and early clinical trials as well. Three years after, I moved to New York, and here doing this journey in clinical research, also being the Director of Clinical Research at the Center for Thoracic Oncology. Life has put me in different places, different cultures, different opportunities. For me it was a really good journey to be in different countries, knowing different ways to see oncology as well, and immediately to work, because it was a shock coming from Belgium to the area of Baltimore where I had the reality to discuss peer to peer conversations and things that are not usually discussed in Europe. So it was really a very nice journey to learn, to have the capacity to adapt. That is the other thing, my second advice, if I can give advice, but if you have the opportunity to go to some place, adaptation is the most important. So try to enjoy what you're doing and try to enjoy and learn from the patients, hopefully, and contribute your knowledge as well. Dr. Rafeh Naqash: Thank you so much, Christian. Two last questions. For all the places that you visited, what is your favorite place? And what is your favorite food? Dr. Christian Rolfo: My favorite place to live, I have Italy in my heart. Obviously, Argentina is my place, family. But Italy is in my heart. And then Spain, Spain gave me my wife and my son. So I have very good memories there and it's a very nice place. Obviously, I'm Argentinian, so for me it means meat in some places, Asado, that is a typical Argentinean one. But also, I am very eager to enjoy the pasta and paella, so we have several things. Anyway, here in New York, the pizza of New York is great. It is not Italian. This new way to make pizza from New York is fantastic. Dr. Rafeh Naqash: I can try to see you're trying to keep everybody happy in a politically correct way. Dr. Christian Rolfo: I didn't mention Belgium, but we have chocolates there. Dr. Rafeh Naqash: That is true. Every place is special and unique in different ways. Christian, thank you so much. This was very entertaining and very informative for me and hopefully for the audience. Thank you so much for being a part of this conversation. And thank you so much for submitting your work to JCO PO. We hope you consider JCO PO for future research in this exciting area as well. Dr. Christian Rolfo: Thank you. Thank you very much, Rafeh, for the opportunity. And JCO Precision Oncology is a really great forum to discuss precision medicine. Congratulations for all your work. The last, if you allow me to give an advertisement here. We have our Liquid Biopsy Congress, the ISLB, the annual conference will be in Denver from 20 to 25 November, so just before Thanksgiving day. So if you are able to go there, we will have a lot of discussion on liquid biopsy like we did today. Thank you very much. Dr. Rafeh Naqash: Thank you so much for highlighting that, and hopefully, our listeners will try to register and be part of that meeting. Thank you for listening to JCO Precision Oncology Conversations. Don't forget to give us a rating or review. And be sure to subscribe so you never miss an episode. You can find all our shows at asco.org/podcasts. The purpose of this podcast is to educate and to inform. This is not a substitute for professional medical care and is not intended for use in the diagnosis or treatment of individual conditions. Guests on this podcast express their own opinions, experience, and conclusions. Guest statements on the podcast do not express the opinions of ASCO. The mention of any product, service, organization, activity, or therapy should not be construed as an ASCO endorsement.
Dr. Iyad Alnahhas interviews Dr. Ricardo Soffietti about the recent RANO review entitled "Liquid biopsy for improving diagnosis and monitoring of CNS lymphomas: a RANO review" published online in Neuro-Oncology in March 2024.
Dr. David Shulman is a pediatric oncologist at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. He studies novel therapies and biomarkers for patients with advanced sarcomas. In addition to early phase clinical trials, Dr. Shulman co-leads an effort to evaluate circulating tumor DNA, a type of "liquid biopsy," as a potential tool to improve the ways in which we treat patients with bone and soft tissue sarcomas. He joins us on OsteoBites to discuss the LEOPARD Study: Liquid Biopsy in Ewing sarcoma and Osteosarcoma as a Prognostic And Response Diagnostic
Welcome back Gene-iuses! Jordan and Cassie kick us off with a fun teaser of what's to come in Season 2 of the Absolute Gene-ius series. We'll be featuring another great season of interesting guests, all using dPCR to progress their diverse research applications. This includes conversations about reproductive biology, liquid biopsy and transplantation research, CAR-T research, the role of bioinformatics in PCR assay design, micro-RNA analysis, differential gene expression analysis, and of course Cassie's Career Corner, where we get to learn about people behind the science. This teaser, like every episode of Absolute Gene-ius, has the fun baked in to keep it all light and interesting too. You might even hear some digital PCR jokes! Visit the Absolute Gene-ius page to access the entire first season and to learn more about the hosts and the Applied Biosystems QuantStudio Absolute Q Digital PCR System.
Join our conversation with Dr. Paul Savage—an ER doctor who pivoted to become the CEO of MD Lifespan. After facing numerous health challenges, Dr. Savage redefined his life. He didn't just change his habits, but also delved deep into treatments like stem cell therapy. He'll share how he went from battling fatigue to leading the charge in longevity medicine.We'll uncover topics like the science behind aging, mindfulness and emotional wellbeing, and innovative treatments like Therapeutic Plasma Exchange—think of TPE as a rejuvenating process similar to giving your car a fresh oil change. Plus, we'll touch on the potential of nanotech and genetics in enhancing our lifespan and why it's vital to stay ahead in these fast-paced fields. But it's not all science and tech. Dr. Savage gives us tips on how we can make better everyday choices, dodge environmental toxins, and truly embrace a healthier lifestyle. From the food on our plates to the thoughts in our minds, it's about making choices that count. EPISODE CHAPTERS (0:00:01) - The Journey to Longevity(0:08:12) - Longevity and the Journey of BodyLogic(0:11:57) - Longevity and Causes of Aging(0:23:53) - Therapeutic Plasma Exchange and Liquid Biopsy(0:34:44) - Liquid Biopsy and TPE in Longevity(0:47:29) - Longevity Medicine(0:53:47) - Food Toxicology and Personal Wellness Implications(0:59:53) - Key Insights for Optimal HealthLinks:https://mdlifespan.com/Join Over 18,000 Leading Medical Professionals and Become a Vibrant Wellness Provider Today!
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