Though only age 38, Nick Lumi recently underwent a colonoscopy to search for the presence of polyps or evidence of cancer.<\/p>\n
Lumi, of Nazareth, doesn\u2019t have any symptoms of colon cancer, nor a family history of it, yet he underwent the colonoscopy because a special blood test, offered at no cost via a St. Luke\u2019s community health research study called DNA Answers. The test found he carries a gene variant, or mutation, in one of the genes associated with Lynch syndrome.<\/p>\n
Lynch syndrome is an inherited condition in which there is an increased risk for developing different types of cancer, most notably colorectal cancer. The lifetime risk of developing colorectal cancer in the general population is about 5%, but with this syndrome it jumps to 40% – 60% for women and 60% – 80% for men, with cancer often presenting in people less than 50 years old.\u00a01<\/sup><\/p>\n In December, St. Luke\u2019s launched the community health research study, DNA Answers, in partnership with Helix, Inc., a California-based leader in population genomics. One of the goals of this joint initiative is to offer, at no cost to the participants, the opportunity to participate in research and have access to the latest screening techniques that support what is commonly referred to as \u201cprecision medicine.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThrough insights gleaned from patients\u2019 unique genetic make-up, precision medicine enables \u2018individually tailored\u2019 health care \u2013 from early disease diagnosis to individualized treatment,\u201d said St. Luke\u2019s Senior Vice President of Clinical Integration, Dr. Aldo Carmona.<\/p>\n Principal Investigator for DNA Answers, Chairman of the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine and Medical Director for Precision Medicine at St. Luke\u2019s, Dr. Christopher Chapman noted, \u201cDNA Answers initially aims to enroll 100,000 participants over four years. The individuals who participate in the research study will be provided, at no cost, with important health information about their potential risks for serious health conditions such as certain types of cardiovascular disease and different types of cancer, thereby allowing them to make proactive decisions in conjunction with their healthcare providers to potentially delay or even prevent these conditions from occurring later in life.\u201d<\/p>\n Said Lumi: \u201cAt first, having the test was a novelty to me, to learn if I have a predisposition to liking the taste of cilantro or to learn more about the geographic location of my ancestry.\u201d Any research participant has the opportunity to register an account with Helix to access that additional information. In terms of learning that he carries a gene variant associated with Lynch Syndrome, Lumi recounted, \u201cit was a surprise to me, and I\u2019m glad I took the blood test, because now I can do something to try to prevent the cancer from developing or have it treated more precisely if I\u2019m found to have it.\u201d<\/p>\n Within two days of receiving his test results, Mr. Lumi had an initial counseling session with Monica Dillon, a member of St. Luke\u2019s certified genetic counseling team. Shortly thereafter, his colonoscopy was performed by GI specialist Robert Malcolm, MD, of St. Luke\u2019s Gastroenterology at St. Luke\u2019s Monroe Campus.<\/p>\n \u201cBoth Monica and Dr. Malcolm were fantastic \u2013 truly \u2013 they were concise, informative and thorough. Dr. Malcolm explained that Lynch syndrome cancers may develop quickly from benign polyps to precancerous polyps to invasive cancer, so I will have a colonoscopy yearly for the next several years at least, before spreading them out, as well as upper endoscopy every 2 years,\u201d Lumi explained. \u201cI cannot say enough about how well Dr. Malcolm explained and addressed my concerns; it gave me a great sense of confidence with what our management plan was for moving forward\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cI have to say, with getting these results back, I became anxious. No doubt. But because the study is set up with a great workflow and support for participants with positive findings, my anxiety was relieved by how quickly I was contacted by the genetic counselors and how quickly an action plan was put into place. Additionally, although this diagnosis was a surprise for me, having the knowledge and information surrounding this diagnosis empowers me to have my children screened at the appropriate time. As a parent, this knowledge is invaluable.\u201d<\/p>\n To learn more about St. Luke\u2019s community research study, DNA Answers, visit\u00a0www.DNAanswers.org<\/a>.<\/p>\n Photo caption: St. Luke\u2019s University Health Network Physician Assistant, Nick Lumi, turns making dinner into a family affair as his wife, Sarah, along with their two children Anna, 8, and Nathan, 10, at their Nazareth home. Nick recently participated in St. Luke\u2019s DNA Answers program and is encouraging others to do the same in the hopes that potential future illness could be either prevented and closely monitored by the discovery of genetic markers.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n About St. Luke\u2019s<\/strong><\/p>\n Founded in 1872,\u00a0St. Luke\u2019s University Health Network<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0(SLUHN) is a fully integrated, regional, non-profit network of more than 20,000 employees providing services at 15 campuses and 350+ outpatient sites.\u00a0 With annual net revenue of $3.4 billion, the Network\u2019s service area includes 11 counties in two states: Lehigh, Northampton, Berks, Bucks, Carbon, Montgomery, Monroe, Schuylkill and Luzerne counties in Pennsylvania and Warren and Hunterdon counties in New Jersey. St. Luke\u2019s hospitals operate the largest network of trauma centers in Pennsylvania, with the Bethlehem Campus being home to St. Luke\u2019s Children\u2019s Hospital.<\/p>\n Dedicated to advancing medical education, St. Luke\u2019s is the preeminent teaching hospital in central-eastern Pennsylvania.\u00a0 In partnership with Temple University, the Network established the Lehigh Valley\u2019s first and only four-year medical school campus.\u00a0 It also operates the nation\u2019s oldest School of Nursing, established in 1884, and 52 fully accredited graduate medical educational programs with more than 500 residents and fellows. In 2022, St. Luke\u2019s, a member of the Children\u2019s Hospital Association, opened the Lehigh Valley\u2019s first and only free-standing facility dedicated entirely to kids.<\/p>\n SLUHN is the only Lehigh Valley-based health care system to earn Medicare\u2019s\u00a0five-star<\/em>\u00a0ratings (the highest) for quality, efficiency and patient satisfaction.\u00a0 It is both a Leapfrog Group and Healthgrades\u00a0Top Hospital<\/em>\u00a0and a Newsweek World\u2019s\u00a0Best Hospital<\/em>.\u00a0 The Network\u2019s flagship University Hospital has earned the\u00a0100 Top Major Teaching Hospital<\/em>\u00a0designation from Fortune\/PINC AI 10 years in a row, including in 2023 when it was identified as THE #4 TEACHING HOSPITAL IN THE COUNTRY.\u00a0 In 2021, St. Luke\u2019s was identified as one of the\u00a015 Top Health Systems<\/em>\u00a0nationally.\u00a0 Utilizing the Epic electronic medical record (EMR) system for both inpatient and outpatient services, the Network is a multi-year recipient of the\u00a0Most Wired<\/em>\u00a0award recognizing the breadth of the SLUHN\u2019s information technology applications such as telehealth, online scheduling and online pricing information. \u00a0The Network is also recognized as one of the state\u2019s lowest-cost providers.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Though only age 38, Nick Lumi recently underwent a colonoscopy to search for the presence of polyps or evidence of cancer. Lumi, of Nazareth, doesn\u2019t have any symptoms of colon … Continue reading Nazareth Man Learns of Significant Cancer Risk Through St. Luke\u2019s DNA Answers Community Health Research Study<\/span> \n
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