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Molecular tumor profiling for prediction of response to anticancer therapies
1Department of Pathology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520-8023, USA. zenta.walther@yale.edu
Abstract:
Personalized medicine in the treatment of cancer is based on the recognition that molecularly targeted therapies are most effective in patients whose tumors carry specific genetic or genomic alterations. These alterations, which often activate oncogenes that encode the components of signal transduction pathways, serve as predictive markers for sensitivity or resistance of individual tumors to drugs that target such pathways. In the recent past, individual mutations and other changes within tumors have been assayed to determine the likelihood of response or nonresponse to specific targeted therapies. However, with the development of increasing numbers of molecularly targeted drugs, attention has shifted to high-throughput testing of tumors for dozens of predictive markers. This approach to predictive testing has been termed molecular tumor profiling. This review describes the background to this field, the principal markers analyzed, and the methodologies that are being utilized or are under development for tumor profiling.
Insights
Molecular tumor profiling analyzes tumor genetic alterations to predict cancer treatment response. This personalized medicine approach guides the selection of targeted therapies for improved patient outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Genomics
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Personalized cancer medicine relies on molecularly targeted therapies.
- Tumor genetic alterations act as predictive markers for drug sensitivity or resistance.
- Historically, individual mutations were assayed, but this is evolving.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the background of molecular tumor profiling.
- To describe principal markers analyzed in tumor profiling.
- To outline methodologies for tumor profiling.
Main Methods:
- Review of scientific literature on molecular tumor profiling.
- Analysis of common genetic and genomic alterations in tumors.
- Description of current and emerging high-throughput testing technologies.
Main Results:
- Molecular tumor profiling enables high-throughput testing for numerous predictive markers.
- Identifies specific genetic alterations linked to targeted therapy response.
- Highlights the shift towards comprehensive genomic analysis.
Conclusions:
- Molecular tumor profiling is central to modern personalized cancer treatment.
- It facilitates the selection of effective targeted therapies based on tumor-specific alterations.
- Advancements in profiling methodologies are crucial for its continued development.
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