Miami Cancer Institute Introduces Universal Genetic Testing for All New Cancer Patients
MIAMI, FL – November 25, 2024 – Miami Cancer Institute, part of Baptist Health South Florida, announced today that it will start offering universal germline genetic testing to all newly-diagnosed solid tumor cancer patients. Through this initiative, genetic testing will be encouraged for all new patients to accurately identify actionable mutations as well as appropriate treatment plans and risk factors.
Germline mutations are typically inherited from parents, present from birth, and can be passed on to children. Historically, this form of genetic testing has been based specifically on personal or family history.
"Universal germline testing not only increases access to genetic testing for our patients, but also allows for more unaffected family members to be informed and tested if needed,” said Arelis E. Martir Negron, M.D., chief of medical genetics with Miami Cancer Institute, part of Baptist Health South Florida. “Whenever a patient tests positive for inherited cancer risk, it can lead to a domino effect - or what we call "cascade" testing - where close relatives test and those who are also positive can engage in risk-reducing and life-saving surveillance or interventions.”
Germline genetic testing is already recommended for people diagnosed with several cancer types for targeted treatment. “We are looking forward to expanding this service to all solid tumor cancer patients who walk through the doors of our facility, to best equip them with knowledge of their overall health and potential risk for cancer,” shared Siddhartha Venkatappa, M.D., associate chief medical officer, medical oncologist and administrative lead for this program.
Learning about and proceeding with genetic testing, facilitated by a partnership with Nest Genomics, a software company facilitating genomic programs, will be completely optional for patients, and the decision to participate or not will not impact your care at Miami Cancer Institute in any way. We encourage new patients, who will be contacted by Nest prior to their first visit and invited to participate, to address any further questions to their provider.
For more information, please visit https://baptisthealth.net/services/cancer-care
About Miami Cancer Institute
Miami Cancer Institute brings to South Florida access to personalized clinical treatments and comprehensive support services delivered with unparalleled compassion. No other cancer program in the region has the combination of cancer-fighting expertise and advanced technology—including the first proton therapy center in South Florida, Latin America and the Caribbean, and one of the only radiation oncology programs in the world with each of the newest radiation therapies in one place—to diagnose and deliver precise cancer treatments that achieve the best outcomes and improve the lives of cancer patients. The Institute offers an impressive roster of established community oncologists and renowned experts, clinical researchers and genomic scientists recruited from the nation’s top cancer centers. Selected as Florida’s only member of the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer (MSK) Alliance, Miami Cancer Institute is part of a meaningful clinical collaboration that affords patients in South Florida access to innovative treatments and ensures that the standards of care developed by their multidisciplinary disease management teams match those at MSK.
Miami Cancer Institute is part of Baptist Health Cancer Care, the largest cancer program in South Florida, with locations from the Florida Keys to the Palm Beaches.
