Oncology

Cancer is the vanguard disease area for application of precision medicine.  The intersection of genetics, immunology and stem cell biology has tremendous immediate and future applications to individualized, molecularly rationalized cancer treatments.  At Columbia, a strong foundation has been established onto which strategic investments can be leveraged to propel us to a national leadership role in precision cancer care.  In collaboration with the Department of Pathology, we have established NY State and CLIA-compliant clinical genomic sequencing capabilities including a 450-cancer gene panel, whole exome sequencing and RNA sequencing.  

The vision for the future is to build an enterprise-wide precision cancer medicine program where all patients’ tumors will be fully characterized on a molecular level to facilitate enrollment onto precisely targeted clinical trials. Currently, this approach is already being pioneered to Pediatric Oncology patients through the Precision in Pediatric Sequencing (PIPseq) program. In this clinical program, genomic data has impacted clinic decision-making in 65% of all cases, including the identification of actionable alterations and avoidance of ineffective therapies. 

For more information on PIPseq visit their website here.

Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center: Genetic Testing and Cancer

Make an Appointment 

To schedule an appointment for a consultation, contact the New Patient Access Center at 212-305-5098 or [email protected], or fill out this form for a callback.

For appointments related to gastrointestinal cancers (colon, stomach, pancreas), please contact us at 212-305-9337.

For questions about genetic counseling or testing, please contact us at [email protected].

Cancer is caused by changes (mutations) in genes. As humans, we have 20,000 genes in each cell of our bodies. Genes are the recipes for how our bodies grow and develop. Some genes are involved in controlling cell growth and replication or in gene repair. When the gene has a mutation it cannot perform its usual function. Cells can start to grow out of control and become cancer cells, able to grow and spread to other parts of the body. 

We can inherit gene mutations from our parents. These are called germline mutations and these mutations can be passed from generation to generation.  

Our genes can also become damaged from exposures in our environment, such as air pollution or sun exposure, or just from the aging process. Lifestyle choices such as tobacco use can also damage our genes. Mutations that occur from environmental or lifestyle exposures are called acquired or sporadic mutations. Acquired mutations are not inherited from family members or passed to subsequent generations.  

Recommendations about genetic testing for germline mutations are often based on personal or family history of disease. Genetic counselors can review these histories and evaluate for possible inherited risks of cancer.

For more information on oncology at Columbia visit the Herbert Irving Cancer Center.

Precision Cancer Medicine

What is Precision Cancer Medicine?

Therapies for cancer have traditionally been based on the tumor site, like breast cancer or lung cancer. More recently, researchers have found that cancers across tumor sites have common genetic mutations – changes within the DNA of a cell – and those mutations can be targeted with specific drugs.

The future of cancer medicine goes beyond looking at cancer by tumor site, using genetic sequencing to uncover a patient’s specific tumor mutations and deliver personalized therapies. While the field of precision cancer medicine has advanced in recent years, we are still discovering new cancer-causing genetic mutations and developing personalized therapies that can treat them.

For more information on Precision Cancer Medicine click here.

Cancer Genetics Counseling Program

Having a close relative with breast, ovarian, colon, endometrial, or other cancers may increase one’s personal risk for developing these types of cancers. The ColumbiaDoctors Cancer Genetic Counseling Program provides accurate cancer risk information and genetic counseling to individuals with a family or personal history of cancer.

We offer individuals genetic counseling, risk assessment, and appropriate genetic testing for hereditary cancer syndromes such as Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer Syndrome, hereditary colon cancer, or other cancer susceptibility genes.

We tailor information to the individual concerns of each patient, based on the medical and family history. We work closely with you to provide family-based care, multiple management options for medical follow-up and psychological support through the Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center.

To learn more about the Cancer Genetics Counseling Program visit their website here.