Precision Medicine in Cancer Treatment: Role of Technology
Precision Medicine in Cancer Treatment: Role of Technology
Cancer care has seen tremendous progress over the years with coming of age medicines and growth in biomedical technologies. In today’s times, precision cancer medicine has enabled cancer specialists to combine a particular type of cancer treatment or a therapy to a patient depending on the type of cancer, stage and size of the tumour. Following several advancements in the field of cancer care as well as technology, the ability for oncologists to treat cancer patients with more precision and elevate the success rate of treatment has improved tremendously.
Let us understand Precision Medicine in Cancer Treatment better
Precision medicine is a primary approach by doctors to treat patients based on a genetic understanding of their condition. The evolving concept aims at leveraging new genomic information which pinpoints to specific cancer with targeted treatment analysis. In layman’s terms, precision medicine is more like a personalised treatment which brings forth an exact analysis of the patient’s health condition, their genetics and what treatment would provide the best positive and life-affirming results. The treatment does not rely predominantly on a broad classification of cancer but specifically more on the genetics of the patient with the specific cancer to bring forth positive results. Over the years, with advancements in science and technology, the process of precision medicine to treat cancer patients have paced with respect to the research segment.
The usual process of treating cancer based on the diagnosis were quite standard as based on the type of cancer and the stage of cancer, the treatments were provided. However, each body is different and responds differently which brought forth diverse results. Following years of research, scientists have now realised the various genetic modifications because of the growth and spread of cancer based on the patient’s tumour. Further, it has also been discovered that the kind of variation that is witnessed by one patient’s tumour is not the same with another patient of the same type and stage of cancer.
The hope of Precision Medicine in Cancer Treatment
A tailored treatment with precision medicine derived from genetic tests do show tremendous promise. It helps decide which kind of treatment would be ideal for the patient based on the tumour detected and its behaviour. There are combination therapies which are often taken up to treat cancer depending on the severity of its augmentation. From surgery to immunotherapy, there are many treatments offered to patients that primarily depend on the type of cancer, its size and the degree of metastasize. Precision medicines are mainly drugs that are effective against cancers with FDA approvals.
Integration of Artificial Intelligence and Nanotechnology for Precision Medicine for Cancer Treatment
With advancements in the technology, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and nanotechnology have been used as instruments to further bring accuracy to precision medicine treatment for cancer. Thanks to the extensive improvement in acquiring patient data with better designs of nanomaterial, the tailored precision medicine treatment for cancer patients has been enhanced. Bringing AI on board with nanotechnology has further bolstered a rational design of diagnostic and therapeutic platforms with more accuracy. Definitive results in terms of nanomedicine which ranges from applications of nanomaterial and biological devices to nanoelectronic biosensors has also seen a positive outlook with special credits to the application of AI.
Reforms in AI and ML has resulted in resounding development of tools and algorithms which help prepare efficacy when dealing with tailored precision medicine treatment for cancer patients. The prognosis derived from the algorithms prepared by AI technologies to gauge treatments are quite meticulous and offers a great reduction in the possibility of errors in terms of the treatment suggested.
Reference links:
nanomedicine | Definition, Research, & Applications | Britannica
Precision Medicine in Cancer Treatment – National Cancer Institute
Precision Cancer Medicines – Changing Cancer Care for the Better (cancerconnect.com)