Clinical Studies and Personalised Oncology

Precision medicine is a term we hear very often these days. It essentially refers to the individualized management of the cancer patient, taking into account the characteristics of the tumor cells, the immunological profile, the clinical characteristics of the patient himself, the coexisting conditions, always with the patient's wishes as the final consideration. 

Studying the molecular profile of the tumour enables the identification of specific lesions, which are often used as targets for innovative therapies. As technology and science evolve, new therapeutic targets are constantly being discovered and new therapeutic agents are being prepared to destroy cancer cells with these targets. 

Every year, new drugs are approved for different types of cancer, bringing significant benefit to thousands of cancer patients. There are now many examples of patients even in complete remission thanks to these treatments. 

These innovative treatments are first tested in clinical trials to confirm their benefit. Through clinical trials, patients with specific characteristics can gain early access to promising medicines or combinations of medicines in a protected environment. The primary objective is patient safety. A medicine moves on to a final phase clinical trial after it has been shown to be safe in early phase studies. In our country, patients usually have access to phase 3 studies, which is the last phase before a drug is approved. 

The benefits of a patient's participation in a clinical trial are many. In addition to free access to new treatments before they are approved, patients are treated in centres of high scientific prestige and have access to high quality care and thorough monitoring, as defined by the high standards of clinical trials. For these reasons, patients are always encouraged by the guidelines to participate in a clinical trial if one is available and deemed appropriate for their particular patients.    

In recent years, there are many examples of innovative therapies that have changed the cancer treatment landscape and that patients have had access to through clinical trials. Precision Oncology is now part of our patient management as personalized therapies emerge as a major therapeutic hope against cancer.

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- Dr. Elena Foudzila, Pathological Oncologist