- AdventHealth

Choose the health content that’s right for you, and get it delivered right in your inbox.
AdventHealth Cancer Institute Executive Medical Director Dr. Mark Socinski recently published the lead article titled “MET Exon 14 Skipping Mutations in Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer” in the American Society of Clinical Oncology’s JCO Precision Oncology journal. Socinski and his colleagues discuss the complex genomic events leading to non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and also review the specific considerations for detecting the MET exon 14 skipping mutation (METex14) using next-generation sequencing genetic testing.
Lung cancer is the second most frequently diagnosed type of cancer and the leading cause of cancer deaths. NSCLC makes up 85% of lung cancer diagnoses in the U.S., and research over the last decade has uncovered numerous molecular mutations that drive the disease. This has led to development of new targeted therapies to improve outcomes.
“In the past 10 years, we have seen a transformation in how we think about lung cancer, especially non-small-cell lung cancer,” explains Socinski. “NSCLC is actually a very generic term that encompasses a number of different types that are driven by varying molecular alterations. Understanding the specific mutation that caused the cancer allows us to treat the patient more effectively with an appropriate targeted therapy.”
The METex14 mutation is one of the newer drivers identified, and it occurs in approximately 3-4% of NSCLC cases. Two new drugs, capmatinib and tepotinib, were recently approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) specifically for metastatic METex14 NSCLC. Socinski’s article explores the biology, clinical outcomes and testing considerations for METex14 to help educate oncologists on this new development and the importance of next-generation sequencing genetic testing to identify and more effectively treat NSCLC patients.
“Comprehensive genomic testing is no longer an option; it should be the standard of care for every non-small-cell lung cancer patient,” says Socinski. “We know that the new generation of targeted therapies available to us can dramatically improve outcomes, so it is imperative that we properly identify the driving mutation.”
A board-certified, fellowship-trained medical oncologist, Socinski is an internationally recognized expert in the development of novel chemotherapy agents and treatment strategies for advanced NSCLC and small-cell lung cancer. Since 2005, his research has focused on incorporating personalized medicine and molecular biomarkers in the treatment of lung cancer, and he has led AdventHealth’s involvement in clinical trials for METex14. Socinski also formerly served as co-chair of the thoracic malignancies steering committee for the National Cancer Institute.
Physicians with questions about this research or a specific NSCLC case, contact an AdventHealth thoracic oncology nurse navigator at:
- Brenda Rzeszutko at Call407-303-2982
- Dashi Haynes at Call407-303-2433
- Jill Cavara at Call407-303-3213
Recent News
In our latest Clinician’s View, Marcos Hazday, MD, FACC, director of the hypertrophic cardiomyopathy program at AdventHealth Orlando, discusses the new cardiac amyloidosis therapeutics available...
In our latest Clinician’s View, Dr. Seminerio shares her personal passion for improving care for patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and talks about how AdventHealth’s recently established...
Findings of the phase III, multicenter, randomized NSABP B-51-RTOG 1304 clinical trial were recently published in the New England Journal of Medicine with AdventHealth Cancer Institute’s Dr. Mamounas...
Under the leadership of Dr. Valeria Baldivieso and Dr. Chandan Reddy, the AdventHealth Research Institute is the first and only site in Orlando offering the Exablate Blood-Brain Barrier (BBB)...
Approximately 1 billion people throughout the world suffer from tinnitus (ringing in the ears), and it is the number one disability of those who serve in the U.S. military. The condition can disrupt...
Metabolic dysfunction associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), formerly referred to as nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), affects about 70% of people with type 2 diabetes, placing them at...
AdventHealth East Orlando recently became the first hospital in Florida to earn Advanced Foot & Ankle Surgery Certification from DNV, a worldwide, independent certification body.
With an aging population and increases in the prevalence of neurological conditions like Alzheimer’s disease and dementia, physicians and patients alike continue to seek new tools and approaches to...
Mortality rates from treatment-resistant pathogens continue to rise, and the culprits include a wide and growing range of mycobacteria and fungi.
As a former clinically practicing physician who now...
With high risks for recurring knee injury and long-term osteoarthritis, an ACL injury can be devastating for young athletes.
That is why the Rothman Orthopaedics Florida at AdventHealth...
In a new article published in the medical journal Age and Ageing, AdventHealth Research Institute’s Dr. Audrey Collins shares the results of a recent study evaluating the impact of exercise on...
In our latest Clinician’s View, Dr. Lopez shares why his team recently became among the first in the country to begin using innovative technologies like near-infrared autofluorescence (NIRAF)...