What is Personalized/Precision Medicine in Cancer?
Personalized or precision medicine (PM) refers to a medical model that tailors healthcare, with medical decisions, treatments, practices, or products being customized to the individual patient. In the context of
cancer, PM involves using genomic information about a patient's tumor to aid in diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment options.
Targeted Therapy: By identifying specific genetic alterations, treatments can be more effectively targeted, increasing the chances of success.
Reduced Side Effects: Targeted therapies often have fewer side effects compared to traditional chemotherapy because they are designed to attack cancer cells specifically.
Better Outcomes: Personalized treatments can lead to improved outcomes, including higher survival rates and better quality of life.
Cost: Genetic testing and targeted therapies can be expensive, and not all patients may have access to these advanced treatments.
Complexity: The complexity of cancer genetics can make it difficult to identify the most effective treatments for each individual patient.
Limited Treatment Options: Not all genetic mutations have corresponding targeted therapies available. Research and development are ongoing, but gaps remain.
