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Every person is unique. So is every cancer.

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types of cancer1

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genes that contribute to cancer development 2

100,000

mutations (approx.) found in some types of lung cancers3

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unique cancer profile

Advances in genomic testing are driving the personalisation of cancer care and helping physicians understand patients’ unique cancer types.
A medical professional in a mask and gloves is focused, pointing at a screen in a sterile lab. Wearing scrubs and a cap, they engage in precise work.

Cancer used to be categorised mainly according to its location in the body (e.g. lung, breast, liver). Depending on the stage of the disease, many patients with a particular tumour type were treated uniformly with chemotherapies.

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But even if the tumour location is the same, the DNA changes that caused the cancer may be different, making each cancer unique.

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Now that scientists understand that cancer is based on changes in a patient’s tumour genome, we can develop medicines that are more personalised, targeted to specific genetic mutations.

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Genomic testing provides a clearer picture of a patient’s cancer and the results may help physicians identify whether a targeted therapy option is available for a patient’s unique genomic profile. It can also help determine if the patient is a candidate for a clinical trial.

Genomic testing is particularly valuable helping patients with late stage, or hard to treat cancers, such as:
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Lung cancer
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Rare cancer
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Cancer with unknown primary location
Thanks to genomics, cancer treatment is becoming more personalised than ever before:
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patient

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tumour profile

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treatment plan

Genomic profiling is one way we are helping to transform the care of patients and make Personalised Healthcare a reality. Developing targeted treatments is another.

References

  1. Armengol G, Ramon Y Cajal S. Funnel Factors. In: Schwab M, editor. Encyclopedia of Cancer. 2nd ed. New York: 2008.

  2. Stratton MR, Campbell PJ, Futreal PA. The cancer genome. Nature. 2009;458(7239):719-724.

  3. Strachan T, Goodship J, Chinnery P. New Insights from Genomewide Studies of Cancers. In: Genetics and Genomics in Medicine. New York and London: 2015.

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