Welcome to our comprehensive guide on Precision Oncology. In this article, we delve into Precision Medicine: The Future of Oncology, exploring the latest advancements and essential information.
Precision medicine, or personalized medicine, is an approach that uses information about a person's own genes or proteins to prevent, diagnose, or treat disease. In oncology, it means tailoring cancer treatment to the specific genetic makeup of a patient's tumor.
Genomic testing analyzes a sample of a tumor to look for DNA alterations or mutations that might be driving the cancer's growth. Once identified, doctors can often prescribe drugs that specifically target those mutations.
While precision medicine is rapidly expanding, it is not yet available for every type of cancer. It is most commonly used in cancers like lung cancer, breast cancer, melanoma, and leukemia, where specific targeted therapies have already been developed.