Each year, people across the globe join together on World Cancer Day to collectively share how the disease has personally affected their lives and the lives of their loved ones. This year, World Cancer Day has focused its initiatives on a more human-centered approach to cancer care called United by Unique which leans heavily into the unique needs of every individual’s personal experience with the disease.
Historically, most medical treatments were created to meet the needs of a “typical” patient and didn’t necessarily consider everything that makes an individual patient unique. When it comes to cancer, an individual patient’s own genetic makeup and the genomic makeup of your cancer tumors dramatically influences how you’ll respond to treatments. That’s where precision medicine comes in. The ultimate goal of precision medicine is to curate a treatment plan tailored specifically to your needs, providing targeted therapies at the right time to improve outcomes. Finding a care team and medical treatment that’s focused on you rather than a one-size-fits-all approach can make a significant difference in your care.
Researchers are continuing their work on identifying the molecular makeup of different cancer types to hone in on more precise subtypes. With more data, doctors can recommend a more targeted treatment path based on your tumor’s DNA. According to the NIH (National Institutes of Health), these genetic makeups not only have the potential to refine the way you’re diagnosed, but also identify certain genetics that can put you at higher risk for disease in general.
So, how can precision medicine help you?
Healthcare providers are already using precision medicine to combat cancer, including therapies like precision oncology and cancer immunotherapy. Your care team might choose this more customized approach to treat your cancer, from using your genetic testing results to better understand your diagnosis to making more calculated recommendations for treatment based on your tumor.
If you would like to learn more about precision medicine and how it might benefit you, feel free to connect with an Outcomes4Me oncology nurse practitioner at no charge through the Outcomes4Me app, using the “Ask Outcomes4Me” button.
