The Shining Promise Of Precision Medicine Often Disappoints, But Hope Remains
For cancer patients enrolled in precision medicine trials, the results are often underwhelming because the technique is just not precise enough yet. But, still, it offers a tantalizing glimpse of what could be possible.
KQED:
Precision Medicine: Little Benefit So Far, But Lots Of Hope
When doctors tailor treatments based on the genetics, environment and lifestyle of individual patients, they are attempting what is now known as “precision medicine.” The concept grows out of a longstanding frustration in tackling disease: Some patients just do not respond to a treatment that normally works. Not only does this failure necessitate a different remedy, it also puts someone who is ill through a costly and often painful process for no benefit. So being able to choose the right treatment from the start would be an enormous advance. (Venton, 8/16)