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Lessons learned from lung cancer genomics: the emerging concept of individualized diagnostics and treatment

Reinhard Buettner1, Jürgen Wolf, Roman K Thomas

  • 1Center of Integrated Oncology Köln-Bonn, University of Cologne, Weyertal 115b, 50931 Cologne, Germany.

Journal of Clinical Oncology : Official Journal of the American Society of Clinical Oncology
|April 17, 2013
PubMed

Insights

Novel targeted therapies have transformed lung cancer treatment, shifting from ineffective chemotherapy to personalized medicine based on genetic alterations. This paradigm shift emphasizes precise diagnosis and targeted therapies for improved patient outcomes.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Genetics
  • Pharmacology

Background:

  • Lung cancer treatment historically relied on limited, ineffective chemotherapy.
  • Recent advances enable targeted therapies based on specific genetic alterations in tumors.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To outline the paradigm shift in lung cancer treatment.
  • To illustrate the transition towards mechanistically based individualized oncology.

Main Methods:

  • Review of recent developments in lung cancer therapeutics.
  • Analysis of the implications of targeted therapies on diagnosis and treatment strategies.

Main Results:

  • Novel therapeutics targeting specific genetic alterations have revolutionized lung cancer treatment.
  • Diagnosis now requires extensive pathologic subtyping and genome alteration analysis.

Conclusions:

  • The treatment of lung cancer has transitioned from empirical to individualized, mechanistically based oncology.
  • This shift impacts preclinical research, diagnostics, and clinical trial design.

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