Dr. Vivek Subbiah

Dr. Vivek Subbiah is an internationally recognised medical oncologist and precision oncology specialist. He currently serves as the inaugural Associate Director for Drug Development and Precision Oncology at the Stanford Cancer Institute, Stanford University, California, USA. He is also Executive Medical Director for Cancer Novel Therapies at Stanford Health Care. Previously, he spent nearly 15 years at MD Anderson Cancer Center and served as Chief of Early-Phase Drug Development at Sarah Cannon Research Institute.

Dr. Subbiah specialises in rare cancers, thyroid cancer (including anaplastic and medullary thyroid cancer), RET fusion-positive lung cancer, sarcoma, and advanced solid tumours with actionable genomic alterations. His expertise is particularly focused on cancers driven by BRAF V600E mutations and RET fusions or mutations, as well as tumor-agnostic precision oncology for patients across cancer types.

CancerFax can coordinate medical-record review and consultation support for international patients interested in an expert opinion from Dr. Subbiah, subject to hospital availability and case acceptance. Patients should prepare their pathology reports, imaging, NGS or genomic testing results, and full treatment history before requesting a review.

BRAF V600E is a genetic mutation that can occur across many cancer types, including thyroid cancer, lung cancer, colorectal cancer, biliary tract cancers, and other rare tumours. Dr. Subbiah co-led the landmark Vemurafenib Basket Trial — the first histology-independent trial targeting BRAF V600 in rare cancers — which contributed to the FDA approval of vemurafenib in Erdheim-Chester disease. His work in dabrafenib and trametinib also helped establish FDA approval for BRAF-mutated anaplastic thyroid cancer. Patients with a BRAF V600E alteration on genomic testing may benefit from precision oncology evaluation.

RET alterations — including RET fusions in lung cancer and RET mutations in medullary thyroid cancer — are actionable genomic drivers. Selective RET inhibitors such as pralsetinib and selpercatinib have changed treatment options for eligible patients. Dr. Subbiah has been involved in key studies including the ARROW trial with pralsetinib, contributing to regulatory approvals for RET-altered thyroid and lung cancers. Patients with a confirmed RET alteration should discuss targeted therapy options and trial eligibility with a specialist.

A second-opinion or clinical trial pre-screening request can be submitted through CancerFax with the patient's pathology reports, imaging, genomic testing results, and complete treatment history. CancerFax will review the documents, prepare a structured case summary, and coordinate the next steps, subject to the doctor's availability and institutional processes. Eligibility for any specific clinical trial is determined solely by the trial team after full review of medical records.