Mahdi Taha, DO, FACOI, FACP is Lead Author of Case Study Demonstrating Importance of Genomic Testing in Early identification and Treatment of Cancer

Fort Myers, Fla., May 6, 2024 — Florida Cancer Specialists & Research Institute, LLC (FCS) medical oncologist and hematologist Mahdi Taha, DO, FACOI, FACP is lead author and Kayla Haines, APRN is co-author of a case study published in JCO® Precision Oncology detailing the importance of genomic testing in identifying cancer and guiding targeted treatment decisions that enhance overall survival, with a focus on metastatic prostate cancer.

Image Credit: © Florida Cancer Specialists & Research Institute, LLC

Inherited genetic mutations are known to increase risk for many forms of cancer in women and men. Specifically, mutations in the breast cancer genes (known as BRCA1 and BRCA2) are the cause of aggressive forms of prostate cancer, the second most common cancer diagnosed in American men.

In the article entitled, “Next-Generation Sequencing Testing Can Save Generations of Lives,” the authors note: “BRCA2 mutation positive men are estimated to have an 8.6-fold increase in risk by the age of 65 with an absolute risk of about 15% by the age of 65.” These cancers tend to be aggressive and can present earlier than non-BRCA mutated cancers.

Dr. Taha said, “Our research shows that the identification of these genetic factors, even in geriatric patients, is important for determining targeted treatment and overall patient survival.”

The article details the case of an 85-year-old male patient who presented to FCS for evaluation and treatment for metastatic prostate cancer with a rising PSA. Next-generation sequencing (NGS) testing revealed a BRC2 mutation. “This finding was both crucial to determine the treatment plan and also to inform potential implications to the patient’s family members.”

It was later discovered that the patient’s daughter had never completed proper breast cancer screening. Following a subsequent mammogram, she was diagnosed with breast cancer and treatment was promptly started. “Had genomic testing never been done on our patient, the BRCA2 mutation would have been unknown to the daughter,” added Dr. Taha.

FCS offers NGS testing at its clinics statewide to detect oncogenic mutations in hundreds of different genes simultaneously, enabling clinicians to make faster diagnoses of a wide range of cancers while providing recommendations for clinical trials options and personalized therapies based on each patient’s results.

To access the study in JCO® Precision Oncology: https://ascopubs.org/doi/10.1200/PO.23.00695