FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY

FDA Approves First At-Home Cervical Cancer Screening Test, Expanding Access to Preventive Care

14 days ago

• Teal Health's Teal Wand has received FDA approval as the first at-home cervical cancer screening test, offering an alternative to in-clinic pap smears for women aged 25-65 at average risk. • Clinical trials demonstrated the self-collected samples using the Teal Wand perform with 96% accuracy compared to clinician-collected samples, potentially addressing the issue that one in four women falls behind on cervical cancer screening. • The device, which works similarly to a tampon applicator, will be available for shipping starting in June in California before expanding nationwide, with the company working with major insurance providers on coverage options.

First Ascent Biomedical Secures Florida Grant to Expand AI-Driven Cancer Treatment Platform

3 months ago

• First Ascent Biomedical's xDRIVE Drug Prediction Platform, showing 83% improvement in treatment outcomes, receives funding from Florida Cancer Innovation Fund to expand personalized cancer care access. • The AI-powered platform combines DNA/RNA sequencing, drug sensitivity testing, and machine learning to identify optimal treatments for cancer recurrence, with notable success in pediatric oncology. • The grant will support expanding treatment access to rural and minority communities in Florida, while advancing FDA Breakthrough Device Designation and insurance coverage approvals.

Precision Medicine and AI Drive Major Advances in Cancer Treatment Outcomes

3 months ago

• Miami Cancer Institute reports significant progress in cancer treatment through precision medicine and AI integration, revolutionizing patient care through comprehensive genomic testing and personalized treatment approaches. • Stage IV lung cancer survival rates have dramatically improved over two decades, with median overall survival extending from 12 months to 2.5 years and five-year survival rates quadrupling to 20%. • Strategic partnerships with Florida International University and global cancer centers are accelerating translational research and advancing innovative therapeutic strategies in oncology.

Revolutionizing Cancer Treatment: The Rise of Functional Precision Medicine

4 months ago

A groundbreaking approach to cancer treatment, combining genetic testing with ex-vivo drug screening, is showing promising results in clinical trials. Led by Diana Azzam at FIU, this method aims to find the most effective drugs for individual patients, significantly improving outcomes for those with hard-to-treat cancers.

Nicklaus Children’s Hospital Advances Pediatric Cancer Treatment with Targeted Therapy

4 months ago

Nicklaus Children’s Hospital, in collaboration with Florida International University, is pioneering a targeted therapy approach for pediatric cancer, offering personalized treatment plans based on rapid laboratory testing. This innovative method, which tests over 120 FDA-approved medications on patient samples, aims to improve outcomes by identifying the most effective treatment combinations within 14 days.

Functional Precision Medicine Shows Promise in Pediatric Cancer Treatment

6 months ago

• A study shows functional precision medicine, combining drug sensitivity testing and genomic profiling, can guide treatment for pediatric patients with relapsed or refractory cancers. • The approach demonstrated improved progression-free survival and objective response rates in patients who received functionally guided treatments compared to physician's choice. • Functional precision medicine uses direct perturbations of tumor-derived living cells to provide personalized data for therapy, potentially impacting clinical decision-making. • Integrating functional precision medicine with genomics and AI could enhance the identification of novel biomarkers and personalize cancer care for individual patients.