#4 IN THE SERIES “BRINGING PRECISION MEDICINE TO EVERYONE”
Liquid Biopsy Part 1: Breaking Speed and Access Barriers in Precision Oncology with Dr. Kashyap Patel
Host Karan Cushman and Dr. Kashyap Patel, CEO of Carolina Blood and Cancer Care Associates and national leader in value-based oncology, explore how liquid biopsy is changing the diagnostic and treatment landscape and closing gaps in precision oncology today.
In this first episode in a two-part focus, Karan and Dr. Patel reflect on oncology’s rapid evolution, from limited chemotherapy options to today’s targeted therapies and advanced diagnostics. Their conversation centers on liquid biopsy as a practical tool for breaking speed and access barriers in precision oncology.
This blood-based test can deliver results in days, be repeated as needed, and reduce the need for invasive procedures. Tissue biopsy remains important, but when the samples are too small or unsuitable for testing, liquid biopsy provides a valuable alternative in guiding treatment decisions and monitoring disease.
For patients with aggressive “turbo cancers” such as diffuse large B-cell lymphoma or small cell lung cancer, the time saved can be lifesaving. Karan shares her own experience with DLBCL, while Dr. Patel highlights real-world cases where liquid biopsy revealed actionable mutations, informed therapy, or enabled minimal residual disease (MRD) monitoring.
Dr. Patel underscores the need for standardization and payer alignment to move liquid biopsy from innovation to everyday practice. This candid discussion frames liquid biopsy not as a futuristic idea, but as a clinically powerful and scalable tool that is closing gaps in precision oncology today.
Listen now and subscribe to the Precision Medicine Podcast to hear how leaders like Dr. Patel are helping redefine what’s possible for patients—no matter their zip code.
Download the episode transcript here.
Listen to the series Bringing Precision Medicine to Everyone:
Episode #1: Dr. Kashyap Patel and Dr. Angela Katsikas, Bringing Precision Medicine to Everyone
Episode #2: Ellen Matloff and Dr. Angela Katsikas, Understanding Inherited Cancer Risk
Episode #3: Dr. Arif Kamal, Bringing Precision and Compassion to Every Cancer Journey
Special thanks to Dr. Kashyap Patel and his No One Left Alone initiative for collaborating with us on this series.
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About Our Guest
Arif Kamal, MD, MBA, MHS, FACP, FAAHPM, FASCO
Chief Patient Officer, American Cancer Society
Dr. Arif Kamal is the inaugural chief patient officer for the American Cancer Society. In this role, he drives coordinated efforts to accelerate progress against cancer through the organization’s patient, caregiver, and healthcare professional mission initiatives.
Dr. Kamal oversees the organization’s support network, patient navigation services, educational programs, patient and caregiver lodging and transportation, 24/7 contact center, digital patient support resources, and organizational efforts that impact the full cancer continuum across 20,000 global communities. He is also a practicing oncologist and palliative care physician in North Carolina and an associate professor of medicine and population health at the Duke University School of Medicine. In 2017, Dr. Kamal co-founded Prepped Health, a company that develops innovative technology solutions to educate and engage people facing serious illness and their caregivers.
Dr. Kamal is active with several national professional organizations, currently serving as the president for the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine board of directors. He has published more than 225 peer-reviewed scientific articles and is recognized as an international expert in supportive oncology and palliative care. He has been a guest on Good Morning America and interviewed by The New York Times, CNN, NPR, The Washington Post, and USA Today.
Dr. Kamal received his medical degree from the six-year combined B.A./M.D. program at the University of Missouri-Kansas City. He completed his internal medicine residency and a hospice and palliative medicine fellowship at the Mayo Clinic, and a hematology-oncology fellowship at Duke University. He holds a Master of Health Science in clinical research from Duke University and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Massachusetts Amherst.
Dr. Kamal lives in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, with his wife and two children.