Florida Cancer Specialists & Research Institute Participating in Global Clinical Trial Analyzing Patient Responsiveness to Immunotherapy Treatment

Florida Cancer Specialists & Research Institute medical oncologist Ernesto Bustinza-Linares, MD is serving as a Principal Investigator in a global clinical trial collaboration that will analyze the responsiveness of certain cancer patients to immunotherapy treatment. The trial, known as PROPHETIC, involves patients with Stage IV non-small cell lung cancer, small cell lung cancer or malignant melanoma, and seeks to determine who will or will not respond to various forms of immunotherapies.

Unlike chemotherapy or radiation treatments, immunotherapy uses the body’s own immune system to control and eliminate cancer and has the potential to provide lasting protection against cancer and cancer recurrence after treatment.

Florida Cancer Specialists & Research Institute is one of 35 clinical trial sites globally participating in the study hosted by OncoHost, a global leader in next-generation precision oncology. OncoHost’s first-of-its-kind precision diagnostic platform, PROphet®, will be used to analyze patient response and identify resistance to immunotherapy. To date, the platform has been shown to predict patient response with high accuracy.

Dr. Bustinza-Linares explained, “The goal of this study is to develop an algorithm that predicts a patient’s treatment outcome. We will also aim to identify the metabolic pathways that could lead to better therapeutic options in the future with the ultimate goal of improving patient outcomes.”

“Our ongoing leadership in clinical trials research is helping to further advance the development of therapeutic strategies that enable oncologist to deliver truly personalized medicine,” said Florida Cancer Specialists & Research Institute President & Managing Physician Michael Diaz, MD. “The resulting algorithm from the PROHPHETIC trial will serve as a vital tool for physicians and patients when making treatment decisions.”

The PROHPETIC trial is available to patients in Florida Cancer Specialists & Research Institute clinical locations within Central Florida. Patients provide two blood samples as well as clinical data from their medical records. For more information about the study, contact:

Courtney Allen
courtney.allen@flcancer.com

Ernesto Bustinza-Linares, MD
ebustinza@flcancer.com