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Cancer does not affect every person in the same way. Even when two people have the same type of cancer, their tumors can have different genetic changes and may respond differently to the same treatment. This is one reason cancer treatment is becoming more personalized.

Precision medicine is an approach that helps doctors choose treatment based on the specific features of a person's cancer. Instead of using exactly the same treatment for everyone with a particular cancer, doctors may look at the tumor's genes, proteins, and other characteristics to help decide which treatment may work best.

What Is Precision Medicine?

Precision medicine uses information about a person's cancer to guide treatment decisions.

Doctors may study a tumor to look for specific genetic changes or other biological features. These findings can sometimes show how the cancer grows and which treatments may be more likely to work.

How Does Genetic Testing Help?

Genetic testing can play an important role in precision cancer treatment.

Cancer cells can develop changes in their DNA that help them grow and survive. Doctors may test a tumor sample to identify some of these changes.

This information can help doctors determine whether a patient may benefit from certain targeted treatments.

Genetic testing can also sometimes provide information about how a cancer may behave or whether a person may qualify for a particular clinical trial.

What Are Targeted Cancer Treatments?

Targeted therapies are medicines designed to act on specific features of cancer cells.

Traditional chemotherapy can affect both cancer cells and some healthy cells because it targets rapidly dividing cells. Targeted treatments are designed to focus on particular molecules or pathways involved in cancer growth.

Depending on the cancer, targeted therapy may block signals that help cancer cells grow, prevent cancer cells from receiving certain survival signals, or interfere with other processes that cancer cells need.

However, targeted therapy does not work for every patient. The cancer usually needs to have the specific feature that the treatment is designed to target.

How Does Immunotherapy Fit Into Precision Medicine?

Immunotherapy helps the body's immune system recognize and fight cancer.

Certain tests can help doctors determine whether a tumor has characteristics that may make it more likely to respond to specific immunotherapies.

For example, doctors may examine certain proteins or genetic features in a tumor before recommending particular treatments.

This helps doctors make treatment decisions based on the biology of the cancer rather than relying only on where the cancer started.

Can Precision Medicine Reduce Unnecessary Treatment?

Precision medicine may help doctors avoid treatments that are unlikely to benefit a particular patient.

If testing shows that a tumor does not have a specific target, a treatment aimed at that target may not be useful. Doctors can then consider other options.

This does not mean precision medicine can always identify the perfect treatment. Cancer is complex, and doctors may still need to try different approaches.

Can Precision Medicine Help With Treatment Side Effects?

Some personalized treatment approaches may reduce exposure to treatments that are unlikely to work. This could potentially help some patients avoid unnecessary side effects.

However, targeted treatments and immunotherapies can also cause side effects. Being more targeted does not mean a treatment is completely free of risks.

Doctors carefully consider both the possible benefits and risks before recommending treatment.

Can Precision Medicine Be Used for Every Cancer?

Not yet.

Precision medicine has become an important part of treatment for several types of cancer, but its usefulness depends on the type and biology of the cancer.

Some tumors have well-understood genetic changes that can be targeted with available treatments. Other cancers may have fewer clearly useful targets.

Researchers are continuing to study cancer biology to discover more treatment options.

What Happens During Tumor Testing?

A doctor may obtain a sample of the tumor through a biopsy or, in some cases, use tissue that was already collected during surgery.

The sample can then be examined in a laboratory. Testing may look for genetic mutations, changes in proteins, or other features of the cancer.

The results can help the medical team decide whether a targeted therapy, immunotherapy, standard treatment, or clinical trial may be appropriate.

Can Precision Medicine Change During Treatment?

Yes. Cancer cells can change over time.

A treatment may work well at first, but some cancer cells may eventually develop changes that allow them to survive. This can cause the cancer to become resistant to a treatment.

In some situations, doctors may recommend additional testing if the cancer returns or stops responding to treatment. New test results may help identify another treatment option.

FAQs

What is precision medicine in cancer treatment?

Precision medicine uses information about a person's tumor, including genetic and biological features, to help doctors choose a suitable treatment.

Is precision medicine the same as personalized medicine?

The terms are often used in similar ways. Both focus on tailoring healthcare to the characteristics of an individual or their disease.

Does precision medicine work for every cancer patient?

No. Its usefulness depends on the type of cancer and whether the tumor has features that can be matched with an available treatment.

What is tumor genetic testing?

It is laboratory testing of cancer cells to identify genetic changes and other features that may help guide treatment decisions.

Can precision medicine cure cancer?

Precision medicine does not guarantee a cure. It can help identify treatments that may work better for certain cancers, but outcomes depend on many factors.

Conclusion

Precision medicine is changing cancer treatment by helping doctors look beyond the type and location of a cancer. By studying the genetic and biological features of a tumor, doctors may be able to identify treatments that are more likely to benefit a particular patient.

Targeted therapy, immunotherapy, and tumor genetic testing are important parts of this approach. However, precision medicine does not guarantee that a specific treatment will work, and it is not suitable for every cancer.