Oncologist Near Me: Pashtoon Kasi – Pioneering Cancer Specialist

Welcome to OncoDaily‘s special section “Oncologist Near Me” where we introduce prominent oncologists from around the world.

Here, you can get to know the leading cancer specialists in your area, including both personal and professional details that you won’t find in their research articles.

Interested solely in research? We’ve got that covered too! Discover top research articles by the author, learn about their academic achievements, awards, and honors, watch their interviews, and memorize some quotes for much-needed inspiration!

We’ve curated the internet to find the most important information about them. If you have more information, please don’t hesitate to contact us at [email protected].

Pashtoon Kasi, MD, MS

Dr. Pashtoon Kasi is the Medical Director of GI Medical Oncology at City of Hope, Orange County. He was an oncologist and researcher affiliated with Weill Cornell Medicine and NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital. At Weill Cornell Medicine he also served as the Director for Colorectal Cancer Research and Precision Medicine Director for Liquid Biopsy Research at the Englander Institute of Precision Medicine. Dr. Kasi’s expertise is centered around the treatment of gastrointestinal (GI) cancers and pioneering novel drug treatments through early-phase clinical trials.

Career

Professional Positions and Employment

Before joining Weill Cornell Medicine, Dr. Kasi held positions at various institutions. He served as an Associate Professor of Medicine in the Division of Hematology and Oncology at the University of Iowa in 2021. Before that, he worked as an Assistant Professor of Medicine and Oncology at both the University of Iowa from 2019 to 2021 and the Mayo Clinic from 2016 to 2019.

Dr. Kasi is affiliated with several professional organizations, such as the American Medical Association (AMA), the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), the American Society of Hematology (ASH), and the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR). Dr. Kasi chairs the International Society of Liquid Biopsy’s Communications Committee.

Dr. Kasi’s research specializes in “liquid biopsies” involving circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) and circulating tumor cells (CTCs). He focuses on developing and conducting clinical trials in precision oncology and precision medicine. Dr. Kasi has authored and edited several books, including “Research: What, Why and How: A Treatise from Researchers to Researchers” and “Impact of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) in Patients with Gastrointestinal Malignancies.”

With over 100 publications in leading peer-reviewed journals, he has also been actively involved as a principal investigator in numerous investigator-initiated, industry-sponsored, and cooperative group clinical trials in oncology.

Career in Liquid Biopsies

Dr. Pahtoon Kasi’s journey to becoming a GI oncologist with a keen interest in liquid biopsies was inspired by both his mentors and his patients. Seven years ago, a young colorectal cancer patient asked if a blood test could replace a liver biopsy to avoid another invasive procedure, prompting Dr. Kasi to question the lack of better alternatives.

Motivated by this and similar questions from other patients, he delved into the potential of liquid biopsies despite their early limitations. This curiosity led him from the clinic to the research world and back, driving the development of less invasive tests and new clinical trials.

His mentors, who have been pivotal throughout his career, along with the influence of his physician parents, solidified his focus on this innovative area, seamlessly blending his passion for medicine, oncology, and patient care.

Education and Postdoctoral Training

Dr. Kasi wanted to attend Aga Khan University for medical school but was unsure if he would get in, having already received an offer from an engineering school. Unsure of his chances at the highly competitive medical school, he joined the engineering school. After completing almost one semester, he received an offer from the medical school and had one day to decide whether to stay and become an engineer or switch to medical school.

Eventually, Dr. Kasi earned his medical degree from Aga Khan University (AKU) in Pakistan in 2006. He undertook a year-long internship at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio (UTHSCSA) in 2009. Following this, Dr. Kasi pursued his residency at the International Scholars Program (ISP) at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC).

He completed a fellowship in oncology and hematology at the Mayo Clinic in 2016, where he also obtained a post-doctoral master’s degree from the Mayo School of Graduate Medical Education (MSGME) in clinical and translational sciences. During his fellowship from 2013 to 2016, Dr. Kasi was appointed as an Assistant Professor of Oncology and Assistant Professor of Medicine at the Mayo Clinic, a recognition of his exceptional research and academic achievements.

Honors and Awards

In 2024 Pashtoon Kasi was awarded with Yvonne Award in the Challenging the Status Quo category. This award by OncoDaily is presented to individuals who have courageously challenged conventional practices, introducing groundbreaking approaches that transform cancer care. It celebrates resilient and innovative leaders who inspire change and foster advancements in oncology treatment and patient care.

Other awards:

• Top 100 Xfluencers in Colorectal Cancer – OncoDaily (2024)
• Best in Medicine – Leaders in Medicine – American Health Council (2021)
• Empowered Patient Leader (EPL) medal – ColonTown (2019)
• Teamwork – Above and Beyond Recognition Program – Mayo Clinic, Rochester (2016, 2017, 2018)
• Excellence – Above and Beyond Recognition Program – Mayo Clinic, Rochester (2017)
• Tow Tan Humanism in Medicine – Mayo Clinic, Rochester (2016)
• Outstanding Hematology-Oncology Fellowship Trainee – Mayo Clinic, Rochester (2016)
• Humanism and Excellence in Teaching Award –  University of Pittsburgh (2013)

Beyond The White Coat

In an interview, Dr. Kasi mentioned that his personal time centers around his children and his better half Maryam; their entire world revolves around their kids. It appears that their hobbies and interests have all been sidelined in favor of their children. Dr. Kasi is a squash enthusiast.

Pashtoon Kasi with his son. Photo credit to Pashtoon Kasi/FaceBook

Interviews with Pashtoon Kasi

University of Iowa doctor using blood test to detect leftover cancer DNA in patients, KWQC TV NBC, Courtney Spinelli, 18/01/2020

Pashtoon Kasi talks about liquid biopsies in an interview with KWQC TV NBC

A Conversation with Dr. Pashtoon Kasi – Weill Cornell Medicine, 17/o8/2022

Kasi Explores ctDNA and Other Advancements Reshaping GI Cancer Care – Targeted Oncology, 01/02/2024

The Promise of Liquid Biopsies – Cancer Today, Tara Haelle, 20/09/2023

Podcast: Advances in Precision Oncology for GI Cancers at GI24 – ASCO Daily News, 09/02/2024

NEST-1 trial: Dr. Kasi – ColonTown University, Manju George, 01/2024

Top 10 papers by Pashtoon Kasi*

1. Kassi M, Kassi M, Afghan AK, Rehman R, Kasi PM. Marring leishmaniasis: the stigmatization and the impact of cutaneous leishmaniasis in Pakistan and Afghanistan. PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2008;2(10):e259. doi: 10.1371/journal. and.0000259. Epub 2008 Oct 29. PMID: 18958168; PMCID: PMC2569210.
2. Kasi PM, Tawbi HA, Oddis CV, Kulkarni HS. Clinical review: Serious adverse events associated with the use of rituximab – a critical care perspective. Crit Care. 2012 Aug 31;16(4):231. doi: 10.1186/cc11304. PMID: 22967460; PMCID: PMC3580676.
3. Kasi PM, Shahjehan F, Cochuyt JJ, Li Z, Colibaseanu DT, Merchea A. Rising Proportion of Young Individuals With Rectal and Colon Cancer. Clin Colorectal Cancer. 2019 Mar;18(1):e87-e95. doi: 10.1016/j.clcc.2018.10.002. Epub 2018 Oct 17. PMID: 30420120.
4. Kasi PM, Naqvi HA, Afghan AK, Khawar T, Khan FH, Khan UZ, Khuwaja UB, Kiani J, Khan HM. Coping styles in patients with anxiety and depression. ISRN Psychiatry. 2012 Jun 18;2012:128672. doi: 10.5402/2012/128672. PMID: 23738194; PMCID: PMC3658553.
5. Kasi PM, Kotani D, Cecchini M, Shitara K, Ohtsu A, Ramanathan RK, Hochster HS, Grothey A, Yoshino T. Chemotherapy-induced neutropenia at 1-month mark is a predictor of overall survival in patients receiving TAS-102 for refractory metastatic colorectal cancer: a cohort study. BMC Cancer. 2016 Jul 13;16:467. doi: 10.1186/s12885-016-2491-y. PMID: 27412464; PMCID: PMC4944251.
6. Shahjehan F, Merchea A, Cochuyt JJ, Li Z, Colibaseanu DT, Kasi PM. Body Mass Index and Long-Term Outcomes in Patients With Colorectal Cancer. Front Oncol. 2018 Dec 17;8:620. doi: 10.3389/fonc.2018.00620. PMID: 30631753; PMCID: PMC6315135.
7. Wang CB, Shahjehan F, Merchea A, Li Z, Bekaii-Saab TS, Grothey A, Colibaseanu DT, Kasi PM. Impact of Tumor Location and Variables Associated With Overall Survival in Patients With Colorectal Cancer: A Mayo Clinic Colon and Rectal Cancer Registry Study. Front Oncol. 2019 Feb 19;9:76. doi: 10.3389/fonc.2019.00076. PMID: 30838175; PMCID: PMC6389639.
8. Kasi PM, Grothey A. Chemotherapy-induced neutropenia as a Prognostic and Predictive Marker of Outcomes in Solid-Tumor Patients. Drugs. 2018 May;78(7):737-745. doi: 10.1007/s40265-018-0909-3. PMID: 29754293.
9. Kasi PM, Fehringer G, Taniguchi H, Starling N, Nakamura Y, Kotani D, Powles T, Li BT, Pusztai L, Aushev VN, Kalashnikova E, Sharma S, Malhotra M, Demko ZP, Aleshin A, Rodriguez A, Billings PR, Grothey A, Taieb J, Cunningham D, Yoshino T, Kopetz S. Impact of Circulating Tumor DNA-Based Detection of Molecular Residual Disease on the Conduct and Design of Clinical Trials for Solid Tumors. JCO Precis Oncol. 2022 Mar;6:e2100181. doi: 10.1200/PO.21.00181. Erratum in: JCO Precis Oncol. 2022 Apr;6:e2200193. PMID: 35263168; PMCID: PMC8926064.
10. Yarlagadda B, Kamatham V, Ritter A, Shahjehan F, Kasi PM. Trastuzumab and pertuzumab in circulating tumor DNA ERBB2-amplified HER2-positive refractory cholangiocarcinoma. NPJ Precis Oncol. 2019 Aug 19;3:19. doi: 10.1038/s41698-019-0091-4. PMID: 31453370; PMCID: PMC6700112.

*Most cited papers, where Pashtoon Kasi is the first or last author according to Google Scholar

Quotes from Pashtoon Kasi

• “What excites me is not the future, but the present!”
• “Never too soon to be talking about clinical trials.”

How to contact him?

Email: [email protected]
Address: 1305 York Avenue, 12th Floor, New York, NY 10021

References

• The Promise of Liquid Biopsies | Cancer Today
• Dr. Pashtoon Kasi, MD | Best Doctors in America
• A Conversation with Dr. Pashtoon Kasi
• Kasi Explores CTDNA and Other Advancements Reshaping GI Cancer Care
• Dr. Pashtoon Murtaza Kasi, MD, MS | Gastrointestinal (GI) Oncology
• Investigator Spotlight: Pashtoon Kasi, MD, MS

See also:

Oncologist Near Me – Eric Small: Prominent Prostate Cancer Specialist