Precision medicine tailors treatment to individual patient characteristics, particularly genetic profiles. Genomic advances enable increasingly personalized therapeutic approaches improving outcomes and reducing adverse effects.
Pharmacogenomics in Clinical Practice
Pharmacogenomics studies how genetic variations affect drug response. CYP450 enzyme variations influence medication metabolism—some patients metabolize drugs rapidly (reduced efficacy), others slowly (toxicity risk). Testing guides dosing for warfarin, clopidogrel, and many other medications. HLA typing predicts severe reactions to abacavir and carbamazepine. Implementing pharmacogenomic testing prevents adverse reactions and improves therapeutic effectiveness. Many health systems now offer preemptive testing storing results for future prescribing decisions.
Cancer Genomics and Targeted Therapy
Tumor genomic profiling identifies actionable mutations guiding treatment selection. EGFR mutations predict response to specific lung cancer drugs. HER2 amplification in breast cancer indicates trastuzumab benefit. BRAF mutations in melanoma guide targeted therapy. Next-generation sequencing identifies multiple mutations simultaneously. Liquid biopsies detect tumor DNA in blood monitoring treatment response. Genomic testing has transformed oncology from organ-based to mutation-based treatment selection improving outcomes significantly.