By Emily Miller
Precision medicine refers to the basic idea that the study of genes,DNA and the study of a large number of proteins will lead to the development of tests that more reliably detect disease which can predict their likelihood of responding to specific drugs, according to the American Lung Association.
It can also be referred to as personalized medicine or individualized medicine.
Cancers are categorized by their anatomical site of origin (i.e., breast cancer, lung cancer, prostate cancer, etc.), yet oncologists have long recognized that people with the “same” type of cancer do not always respond the same way to the same medicine. In other words, every patient’s cancer is unique due to distinct biological composition.
With precision medicine, the “one size fits all” approach to medicine has been replaced with customized treatments tailored to an individual’s makeup or the makeup of his or her condition.
This approach does not literally mean the creation of new drugs or medical devices that are unique to a patient, but rather the ability to classify individuals into sub-populations that differ in their susceptibility to a particular disease.
During the 2015 State of the Union address, President Barack Obama stated his intention to infuse funds into a United States national “precision medicine initiative.”
The plan would establish a coordinated way for researchers to get genetic and clinical data on a million people. It would cost $215 million in the next fiscal year, including $70 million for the National Cancer Institute. The NCI will assemble and analyze additional genomic data sets to increase our understanding of cancer genomes and their relationship to gene variants that a patient may have inherited.
Based off this information, the NCI will test new therapies against childhood cancers and several common adults cancers. All of this information will build upon years of existing knowledge to provide patients with the latest disease and cancer treatments. For more information about how the NCI will work with the National Institutes of Health on the Precision Medicine Initiative, visit the New England Journal of Medicine for a special editorial entry regarding this topic.
The American Lung Association is already optimistic about how precision medical could help in the field of lung cancer. Scientists are already discovering more DNA alternatives, or mutations, in lung cancer tumors which help determine more effective treatment.
Scientists have recently discovered that some people have certain molecular mutations that cause a tumor to develop and become cancerous. With the help of precision medicine, researchers have worked on developing targeted therapies that focus on addressing the specific mutations in the cancer cell.
Here are some examples of targeted therapies:
· Cut off blood flow to tumor
· Target defects in the cancer cells
· Carry other drugs to a tumor
· Cause cell death (apoptosis)
· Make the cancer cells more receptive to the immune system
· Prevent/Block/Interrupt cell growth
The main goal of targeted therapies is to help reduce damage to healthy cells and to solely focus on cancerous cells. Unfortunately not everyone is eligible for targeted therapies, so make sure you contact your doctor about your eligibility.
You should ideally talk to your doctor about tumor testing before the initial biopsy, as sooner is always better. However, if you have missed this window, there still may be an opportunity for your tissue to be tested.
Not only are these therapies often highly effective, but they also have fewer side effects than traditional chemotherapy because they are not killing healthy cells along with cancer cells.
Many insurance companies are beginning to cover precision medicine testing and treatment. However, it is important to contact your insurance company to find out what is exactly covered with your plan.
The American Lung Association has partnered with the Boonie J. Addario Lung Cancer Foundation and other lung cancer advocacy groups to tell people “Don’t guess. Tests.” More information about this campaign can be found here.
