Predictive medicine: incipient reality or fata morgana?

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Pharmacology
• Biomarker Discovery

Background:

• Targeted therapy efficacy relies on biomarkers identifying accessible molecular targets.
• This principle applies to both small molecule drugs (e.g., kinase inhibitors) and therapeutic antibodies (e.g., trastuzumab).
• Predictive medicine offers significant hope for advancing cancer treatment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To discuss the critical role of biomarkers in targeted cancer therapy.
• To explore the concept and potential of predictive medicine in oncology.
• To identify challenges and potential solutions for precise patient prognosis and therapeutic response prediction.

Main Methods:

• Literature review and conceptual discussion.
• Analysis of the principles underlying target-drug interactions.
• Exploration of challenges in predicting patient outcomes and treatment efficacy.

Main Results:

• Biomarkers are essential for the success of targeted therapies, regardless of drug type.
• Predictive medicine, focused on target-drug interactions, is a key area for cancer treatment advancement.
• Accurate prediction of prognosis, metastasis probability, and individual therapeutic response remains a major challenge.

Conclusions:

• Development of reliable biomarkers is fundamental for effective targeted cancer therapy.
• Addressing challenges in predictive medicine is crucial for developing more efficient and less toxic cancer treatments.
• Further research is needed to overcome obstacles in precise patient stratification and treatment selection.