Healthcare providers today turn to precision medicine whenever possible to better meet the needs of their patients. They look to the person’s genes to provide specific care, as a gene mutation could provide information on which treatment will provide the best outcome. In addition, this type of care might help doctors provide patients with information on which screening tests or healthy habits are of most benefit to the patient.
Gene Mutations
Each cell in the human body contains DNA that holds the individual’s unique genes. The cells use the genes to make proteins necessary for the proper functioning of the body. Every time a cell divides, the genes present in the cell are copied. A gene mutation occurs when something goes wrong in the duplication process. This alteration might occur in the parent’s genes and is then passed on to a child, and doctors refer to these as inherited gene changes. If the modification in the gene happens later in life, they refer to it as an acquired gene change. Certain gene changes cause problems, while others remain harmless.
Cancer and Personalized Medicine
Oncologists and other medical professionals often use personalized medicine when treating patients. They know every cancer is caused by some time of gene mutation, including lung and Pancreatic cancer. Something changed within a normal cell and transformed it into a cancer cell. Cancer requires multiple gene mutations. When doctors conduct genetic testing, they look to see if a person is more likely to develop a specific cancer. For those who already have cancer, doctors use genetic testing to learn if the patient will respond to certain treatments better than others. Finally, a gene mutation may provide information about the patient’s prognosis.
Personalized Medicine and Cancer
Doctors use personalized medicine for many types of cancer. For example, they test women with breast cancer to see if they have a mutation in the BRCA genes. These tumor suppression genes might not work correctly and leave a woman more at risk of developing breast cancer. However, this serves as only one type of cancer that may benefit from genetic testing. Medical professionals often look to personalized medicine when treating a patient with colorectal, lung, stomach, or thyroid cancer. In addition, it becomes of help with certain types of lymphoma and leukemia.
Personalized Medicine and Treatment Options
Doctors often test patients to see which gene mutation they have. This helps to narrow the treatment options. However, work is still being done to see how precision medicine can be of benefit. Sadly, insurance companies often deny this type of testing, leading to a delay in treatment as doctors work to get the necessary tests approved. Furthermore, treatment options targeted at addressing the specific gene mutation often cost more than drugs that treat a broader range of conditions or cancers. The insurance company may deny these precision medicine treatments for similar reasons.
Over time, the use of precision medicine will probably lower health care costs. If a certain disease is caught early, treatment costs tend to decline. Early intervention remains the best option for individuals with cancer and numerous other medical conditions. This type of medicine helps doctors know which tests to order and which treatments are most likely to be successful. More work needs to be done in this area to ensure patients have access to the highest level of care at all times.
