Precision Medicine Explained

Upon the completion of the Human Genome Project in 2003, a new era of rapid, affordable, and accurate genome analysis began — called Next Generation Sequencing (NGS). By looking at DNA using NGS, doctors and researchers are able to more accurately predict which treatments and prevention strategies will work in which groups of people. Tumors can have different underlying genetic causes and may express different proteins in different patients, this approach takes these differences into consideration and uses targeted treatment to fight back.

Advantages of Precision Medicine

While traditional treatment practices use a “one-size-fits-all” approach, precision medicine uses real-world data to better understand which treatments are most likely to be effective. Ultimately, this can prevent patients from undergoing unnecessary cycles of unsuccessful treatment and instead receive the most effective treatment as quickly as possible, when they can be the most effective.

Tailoring medical treatment to the patient’s distinct genetic characteristics can identify the best course of treatment and may even avoid or reduce adverse drug reactions along with the toxic effects of therapies that may not be necessary.

Traditional Model

Diagnosis

Tumor detected uncontrolled cell growth

General Prodecures

Chemotherapy radiation surgery

PPM Model

Subtissue & Metastases

Breast, bone, skin, etc

Omics Analyses

Proteomics
Metabolomics
Transcriptomics
Pharmacogenomics

Genetic Mutations

BRCA, HER2, EGFR, ETC

Personal Factors

AGE, SEX, RACE, ETC

Targeted Treatments

Immunotherapies

Cancer Vaccines

Cer-t cell therapies

Tumor models & drug testing with organoids

Companion Diagnostics to link tumors to effective drugs

Levels of Precision

At Perthera, precision medicine is only the first component of your personalized cancer journey. While the precision begins with targeted therapeutic options, we maintain that same individual focus each step of the way:

A Perthera Coordinator is assigned to every patient to guide them through Perthera’s process
Medical and Treatment History is obtained for every patient
Every patient’s case is reviewed by Perthera’s every-patient real-time expert medical and scientific tumor board
Every patient is followed up on, and outcomes are submitted to Perthera’s Computational Engine

Every patient, every time…

Molecular Testing

A Biomarker is a biological molecule found in blood, other body fluids, or tissues that is a sign of a normal or abnormal process, or of a condition or disease. A biomarker may be used to see how well the body responds to a treatment for a disease or condition. Also called molecular marker and signature molecule.

Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS)

DNA/RNA analysis that allows for the discovery of mutations present in a patient’s genome. This testing usually requires a solid tissue sample.

Liquid Biopsy Testing: A test done on a sample of blood to look for cancer cells from a tumor that are circulating in the blood or for pieces of DNA from tumor cells that are in the blood. Liquid biopsy can only detect a fraction of the genes that NGS can detect, but is much faster and can provide important data on known biomarkers of interest.

Perthera uses comprehensive molecular testing to identify actionable biomarkers.