Joseph Kim, MD, on Liquid Biopsies as a Diagnostic for GI Cancers

Article

The chief of surgical oncology at the UK Markey Cancer Center discussed liquid biopsies and their potential importance for diagnosing gastric cancer.

Joseph Kim, MD, chief of the division of surgical oncology at the UK Markey Cancer Center, spoke about the importance of liquid biopsies, specifically in gastric cancer, at the 2020 Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium, held January 23-25, in San Francisco, California. 

 

Transcription:

Currently, liquid biopsies are really in their infancy in diagnostics for (gastrointestinal) cancers, especially gastric cancer. Liquid biopsies are being tested in a number of cancers, but I think it’s particularly important for gastric cancer where it may be difficult to get enough tissue to do all of the genetic testing that we need, and so the liquid biopsies provide an avenue for us to get that data which would potentially help change the type of treatments that are offered for patients with gastric cancer. 

Newsletter

Stay up to date on recent advances in the multidisciplinary approach to cancer.

Recent Videos
According to Benjamin J. Golas, MD, PIPAC could be used as a bridging therapy before surgical debulking or between subsequent large surgical operations.
According to Benjamin Golas, MD, PIPAC is emerging as minimally invasive laparoscopic approach for patients with peritoneal carcinomatosis.
According to Ronan J. Kelly, deciding whether to give nivolumab- or durvalumab-based regimens in gastric cancers may rely on a patient’s frailty.
Five-year follow-up revealed that patients treated with nivolumab vs placebo in the phase 3 CheckMate 577 trial experienced a “doubling” of survival.
Patients treated with nivolumab in the phase 3 CheckMate 577 trial were less likely to experience progression-related treatment discontinuation vs placebo.
Testing a patient’s genetics may influence decisions such as using longer courses of radiotherapy, says Rachit Kumar, MD.
Spatial transcriptomics and multiplex immunohistochemistry from samples may elucidate outcomes for patients who undergo surgical care for cancer.
Future work may focus on optimizing symptom management associated with percutaneous transesophageal gastrostomy placement in malignant bowel obstructions.
Post-operative length of stay ranged from 4 to 9 days for patients who underwent percutaneous transesophageal gastrostomy for malignant bowel obstructions.