Work

Unique Molecular Landscapes in Cancer: Implications for Individualized, Curated Drug Combinations

Year: 2014

Type: article

Abstract: With increasingly sophisticated technologies in molecular biology and "omic" platforms to analyze patients' tumors, more molecular diversity and complexity in cancer are being observed. Recently, we noted unique genomic profiles in a group of patients with metastatic breast cancer based on an analysis with next-generation sequencing. Among 57 consecutive patients, no two had the same molecular portfolio. Applied genomics therefore appears to represent a disruptive innovation in that it unveils a heterogeneity to metastatic cancer that may be ill-suited to canonical clinical trials and practice paradigms. Upon recognizing that patients have unique tumor landscapes, it is possible that there may be a "mismatch" between our traditional clinical trials system that selects patients based on common characteristics to evaluate a drug (drug-centric approach) and optimal treatment based on curated, individualized drug combinations for each patient (patient-centric approach).

Source: Cancer Research

DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-14-2329

Authors: Jennifer Wheler, J. Jack Lee, Razelle Kurzrock

Institutions: The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, University of California San Diego, Moores Cancer Center

Language: English

Topic: Cancer Genomics and Diagnostics

Subfield: Cancer Research

Field: Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology

Domain: Life Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: green

Funder: National Cancer Institute