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3rd Edition of International Cancer & Immuno-Oncology Conference

March 15-17, 2027 | Singapore
March 15-17, 2027 | Singapore

Precision oncology, genetic testing and gene therapy

Rajvir Dahiya, Conference Speaker
University of California San Francisco, United States
Title : Precision oncology, genetic testing and gene therapy

Abstract:

Precision oncology uses molecular and clinical information to select the most effective therapies while minimizing unnecessary toxicity. Genetic testing identifies inherited cancer predispositions and
tumor-specific mutations, enabling earlier detection, more accurate prognostication, and the use of
targeted therapies or immunotherapies. Gene therapy seeks to modify or introduce genetic material to directly attack cancer cells or enhance the body’s immune response against them.

Together, these approaches are moving cancer treatment from a “one-size-fits-all” model toward truly personalized care, offering improved outcomes, fewer side effects, and renewed hope for longer survival and a better quality of life for patients. To bridge this gap, we evaluated the clinical utility and diagnostic accuracy of Geneverify test, a plasma cell-free mRNA-based test for prostate cancer. This novel, non-invasive approach has the potential to deliver faster, more precise diagnoses while eliminating the risks associated with surgical biopsies. In our study, we analyzed 500 prostate cancer samples and 150 normal samples, collected from nine hospitals. Blood and surgical specimens were obtained based on defined eligibility criteria. The study aimed to correlate mRNA genomic profiling with clinical and pathologic parameters. In blood samples, a 25-gene panel effectively distinguished prostate cancer patients from non-cancer individuals, achieving an AUC of 0.906 (sensitivity 90%, specificity 91%). Similar diagnostic performance was observed in tissue samples (AUC 0.9514, sensitivity 95%, specificity 94%). Notably, patients with Gleason scores >7 showed significantly higher expression of the gene panel compared to those with GS <7, underscoring the test’s prognostic potential. Comparable gene expression patterns between blood and tissue samples support the use of blood-based testing for screening, diagnosis, and risk assessment. These findings were further validated in a prospective study. Geneverify test demonstrated high accuracy in detecting early-stage prostate cancer with strong concordance to biopsy results. Similarly, we have conducted real-time validation of kidney and breast cancer with 90% sensitivity and specificity. To our knowledge, this is the first real-time clinical validation of a blood-based, cell-free mRNA genomic test for prostate cancer screening. Our results indicate that mRNA genomic profiling from blood can accurately diagnose prostate cancer and help stratify patients into prognostic groups. This non-invasive method offers a promising alternative to traditional biopsy delivering faster, safer, and more accessible early detection, and paving the way for personalized treatment strategies. RNA-based cancer vaccine trials are currently underway, targeting a wide range of cancers. With promising results, many of these vaccines could receive FDA approval within the next five years or even sooner. These groundbreaking therapies have the potential to revolutionize cancer treatment, offering new hope to every patient and
significantly improving the lives of millions of patients

Biography:

Rajvir Dahiya holds Ph.D. in Experimental Medicine from Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research Chandigarh, India, post-doctoral fellowship in medical oncology research from the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine, M.D. from the Kagoshima University Faculty of Medicine, Kagoshima, Japan and D.Sc. from the Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan. He became director of Oncology Urology Oncology Research Center at the UCSF/VAMC in 1991. After 34 years of service, he retired as a Professor Emeritus and Director of Urology Research Center. Dahiya has published more than 550 original research manuscripts. Dahiya’s world ranking in medicine is 5690 (top 0.15%) and USA ranking is 3003 (top 1%) with more than 38,795 research citations and D-index of 108, i10-index of 325 in 2026. He has written books and holds multiple patents in oncology. Based on the NIH and VA data base NIH Reporter and Grantome, Dahiya's research programs were supported (99 times awarded) by the NIH and VA. Dahiya served for 25 years as a chairman and scientific reviewer for prostate, ovarian, and breast cancer research programs at the United States Department of Defense (DOD). In addition, he served as a scientific reviewer and chairman for nearly 30 years on numerous scientific committees and review panels for the NIH, including the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK). These roles involved evaluating nationally important medical research programs and supporting innovative biomedical research initiatives. Currently, he is an associate editor of “Clinical Cancer Research” journal.

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