Dr. Samir Fasih is a Clinical Research Fellow in the Department of Oncology at Western University and the London Health Sciences Centre. He is conducting BCC-funded breast cancer research under the mentorship of Dr. Ana Lohmann.
1. Could you share your motivation/personal connection to breast cancer research?
My motivation and personal connection to breast cancer research came from the breast cancer fellowship which I received last year. My mentor Dr. Ana Lohmann, a breast cancer medical oncologist, is also a constant source of inspiration and ideas for me.
2. What specific areas of breast cancer research are you currently focusing on, and why are they important?
My breast cancer research is focused on understanding how body fat composition affects response to immunotherapy in patients with early-stage triple negative breast cancer. We are also examining how body fat composition affects tumor markers in metastatic breast cancer, including tumor DNA that can be detected in the blood. Studying these correlations will give us better insights into the biology of breast cancer and may lead to more personalized approaches to therapy in the future.
3. What recent breakthroughs or discoveries in Canadian breast cancer research are exciting to you?
There have been several exciting breakthroughs in breast cancer research. For example, there has been progress on developing a cancer vaccine for triple negative breast cancer, the most aggressive subtype of breast cancer. Additionally, there is another recent study evaluating the value of CDK4/6 inhibitors in triple negative breast cancer, which is a new application for these drugs that have been quite effective for treating other subtypes of breast cancer.
4. How do you see the future of breast cancer prevention, screening, diagnosis, treatment evolving through research?
The future of breast cancer prevention, screening, diagnosis, and treatment is evolving very rapidly because of innovative research. A few examples include better imaging approaches that are enhanced through artificial intelligence (AI), as well as new blood tests, or “liquid biopsies,” that provide a minimally invasive approach for early detection and assessing treatment response.
5. What message would you like to share with someone who has just been diagnosed with breast cancer?
Receiving a breast cancer diagnosis can be overwhelming, but please know that you are about to embark on a journey where you will discover incredible strength, resilience, and courage within yourself. We as researchers and doctors are here to support you! With the recent advances in research and care, we are able to cure most of our early-stage patients, and for others we are able to use personalized treatment approaches that are focused on treating breast cancer and improving quality of life.
Dr, Samir Fasih’s video message:
