Further to earlier posts (Is Personalized Medicine a Myth and Serious Side Effects More Likely in New Cancer Drugs), a more thorough discussion of the issues for the cognoscenti. Quote:
… it’s important to note that, as incredible and copious as it is, all this genomic data doesn’t help us that much—yet. The reason is that we don’t yet know what to do with this “firehose” of a data stream, how to apply the data contained therein to guiding patient care in order to cure more patients and prolong the survival more of those who cannot be cured. I actually believe that one day we will have the tools and knowledge to do that, such that I envision a day when we will use tumor biopsies and blood to construct comprehensive genomic, transcriptomic, and proteomic profiles of individual patient tumors and use them to target the molecular derangements that drive them. However, I am under no illusion that reaching that day will be easy, cheap, or without other cost. Studies like Niraula et al keep us humble.
New cancer drugs: Fitter, happier, more productive? Or not? – Respectful Insolence.
