Precision oncology: current and future platforms for treatment selection

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Genomics
• Molecular Biology

Background:

• Genomic profiling is standard in cancer care, utilizing DNA sequencing.
• DNA sequencing identifies mutations and alterations for therapy response and heritable risk.
• However, DNA sequencing is limited in predicting sensitivity to chemotherapies, antibody drug conjugates, and immunotherapies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review innovative molecular and functional profiling platforms.
• To discuss their potential to complement or replace DNA sequencing.
• To identify barriers to clinical adoption.

Main Methods:

• Review of current literature on molecular and functional profiling platforms.
• Analysis of the utility of DNA sequencing versus other molecular profiling methods.
• Discussion of clinical adoption challenges for novel platforms.

Main Results:

• DNA sequencing is effective for certain biomarkers but not all therapy types.
• RNA sequencing and other platforms show promise for predicting immunotherapy and combination therapy response.
• Hurdles to clinical adoption include validation, cost, and integration into care.

Conclusions:

• Expanding precision oncology requires adopting advanced molecular profiling beyond DNA sequencing.
• RNA sequencing and functional platforms offer greater predictive power for specific therapies.
• Overcoming clinical adoption challenges is essential for realizing the full potential of precision oncology.