During a recent webinar hosted by Becker’s Healthcare,leaders from Providence’s Swedish Cancer Institute in Seattle, Labcorp, andGene Pool Media shared perspectives on embedding genetics into everyday careand strategies to expand precision medicine at scale.
Here are four key takeaways from their discussion:
1. Transforming cancer care
Genetic testing has moved beyond academic centers to being reflected inclinical guidelines adopted by a growing number of clinicians. MarianneDubard-Gault, MD, medical director of Cancer Genetics & High-risk Servicesat Swedish Cancer Institute, routinely offers genetic testing to patients newlydiagnosed with breast, ovarian and pancreatic cancer.
The presence of specific biomarkers or variants in a tumor can affect thetreatment sequence or type of therapy a patient receives.
“Targeted therapy is possible because we identified the genetic predispositionor the biomarker in the blood or the tumor, and we were able to tailor andprescribe medication developed for that particular thing and really give peopleoutcomes that we haven’t seen in the past,” said. Dr. Dubard-Gault.
Read more: Becker’s Hospital Review
