Personalized Oncology – Is it myth or reality?

presented by Arina Ganeles, MD, Hematologist, Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula

Every patient is different. Every tumor is different.  Personalized cancer treatment is a delivery of the right treatment, based on the tumor genomics (somatic mutations) as well as on individual genetics (germ line mutations) of each patient.  The research into cancer biology is propelling rapid development of novel treatments targeting the key molecules that allow cancers to grow and spread. This strategy resulted in new targeted therapies for people living with advanced cancers of the lung, breast, and kidney, as well as several hard-to-treat forms of blood cancer.  Today, new molecular technologies can quickly pinpoint molecular changes in the tumor or free-floating cancer DNA in the blood. For a growing number of patients, such changes can be matched to either existing targeted treatments or experimental treatments that are being tested in clinical trials.

Desired Outcomes:

• Define ” Precision Oncology”
• Identify the difference between the effect of chemotherapy and “target” therapy on cancer cells
• Identify the role of Whole Genome Sequencing of tumor cell in treatment of cancer
• Recognize the difference between “somatic” and “germline” mutation
• Describe the future direction of “precision medicine”
• Apply new knowledge in conversations with patients and with appropriate referrals

CME Activity Flyer (PDF)