MDNews - Mid Hudson

anney mannancheril, mD, a member of White Plains hospital Physician associates Oncology and hematology, works with noemi Roman, office assistant, to schedule an appointment for her patient. made in consultation between the patient and physician. In some cases, standard care leads to such excellent outcomes that there is no need to consider other treatments. But when questions remain to be answered, research studies can provide an opportunity for patients to have access to exciting, experimental therapies and contribute to the community's increased understanding of cancer care. "With each patient, it is a matter of personal choice. Some feel that they want to be part of a study, and some do not," Dr. Sadan says. "As physicians, we acknowledge these feelings and answer patients' questions. — sara sadan, mD, founder of Oncology and hematology and Director of Breast Cancer and Women's medical Oncology at White Plains hospital That being said, we encourage patients to consider participating in clinical studies for their benefit and for the benefit of our society to make progress in finding better solutions for cancer care." Precision Medicine for Personalized Care At White Plains Hospital, personalized medicine, consisting of targeted therapies based on understanding of patient and/ or tumor genetic makeup, is practiced whenever possible. As Dr. Costin says, "The field is still young — a few hundred genetic abnormalities may cause cancer, yael Zack, mD, a member of White Plains hospital Physician associates Oncology and hematology, reviews a treatment plan with ingrid Porter, the practice's pharmacist, in the office lab. but relatively few targeted treatments have been discovered." "The pace of innovation to get the drugs for the remaining mutations is very fast," he says. "With the right patient data, oncologists may soon be able to place patients on a list and get a call saying, 'Your patient has genetic variant number so-and-so, and a therapy is ready for them.'" Genetic screening to identify risk for certain cancers, such as breast cancer, may benefit patients who have a family history of cancer or belong to certain ethnic groups. The Cancer Genetics Program at White Plains Hospital's Dickstein Cancer Treatment Center offers patients access to cancer risk assessments. Discussions with genetic counselors help people with heightened risk understand this complex information and provide insights into their chances of developing cancer, screening options, medical treatments to prevent cancer and research studies for which they may be eligible. For those diagnosed with cancer, personalized medicine offers the chance to tailor treatments to the specific characteristics of the tumor. Many of the open clinical studies at White Plains Hospital involve treatments targeting specific tumor mutations. "It's important to understand the genetics of the tumor itself," Dr. Sadan says. "Today we have the tools to better identify which patients will likely benefit from chemotherapy and which will likely benefit MDNEWs.COM ■ MD News Mid Hudson special clinical section: ONCOLOgy "Every patient with cancer deserves a dedicated oncologist with a team of multidisciplinary specialists and support services around them; these include surgeons, radiologists, radiation therapy, pathology, genetic counseling, nutrition counseling and infectious disease specialists. Our patients know they are getting state-of-the-art treatment in a warm, friendly and supportive atmosphere. This will take them along their paths with a feeling of safety, security and trust that they are getting the best care every day, close to home. Each patient is surrounded by a team of providers, creating an extended family around them." | 17

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