Personalized Medicine

A group of Norwegian scientists is attempting to discover as much detail on the specific types of breast cancer. They are researching this in attempt to create personalized medicine. The epidemiology and outcome of the different forms of breast cancer vary widely. There are up to 15 different subtypes of breast cancer. Currently there are only a few different methods of treatment for breast cancer. Patients are receiving the same treatment even through their tumors are very different. Therefore the treatment of breast cancer should vary depending on the specific case of cancer. In their research they have also developed better methods of diagnosing the specific types of breast cancer. They implanted different severity and forms of tumors into lab rats in order to test different forms of treatment. By genetically isolating specific subgroups they hope to engineer medicine that will be specific to the breast cancer subtype. By making the medicine so specific, it will allow less error. The more specific the medicine is to the cancer, the less noncancerous cells die. They hope to customize an antibody drug, Avastin. The customized Avastin will be based on the individual’s tumor genes.

The reason I choose this article is because accomplishing this goal will have a large implication to medical and cancer treatment. Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women. Also if they can accomplish this with breast cancer then other types of cancers can soon follow suit. Personalized medicine is a growing feed with a lot of funding from pharmaceutical companies.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/02/110225090852.htm