Precision cancer medicine: Concepts, current practice, and future developments
Journal of Internal Medicine, vol. 294, pp. 455–481
Abstract
Precision cancer medicine is a multidisciplinary team effort that requires involvement and commitment of many stakeholders including the society at large. Building on the success of significant advances in precision therapy for oncological patients over the last two decades, future developments will be significantly shaped by improvements in scalable molecular diagnostics in which increasingly complex multilayered datasets require transformation into clinically useful information guiding patient management at fast turnaround times. Adaptive profiling strategies involving tissue- and liquid-based testing that account for the immense plasticity of cancer during the patient's journey and also include early detection approaches are already finding their way into clinical routine and will become paramount. A second major driver is the development of smart clinical trials and trial concepts which, complemented by real-world evidence, rapidly broaden the spectrum of therapeutic options. Tight coordination with regulatory agencies and health technology assessment bodies is crucial in this context. Multicentric networks operating nationally and internationally are key in implementing precision oncology in clinical practice and support developing and improving the ecosystem and framework needed to turn invocation into benefits for patients. The review provides an overview of the diagnostic tools, innovative clinical studies, and collaborative efforts needed to realize precision cancer medicine.
Authors 20
-
Anders Edsjö corresponding
Lund University · Region Skåne
Affiliation as printed
Department of Clinical Genetics Pathology and Molecular Diagnostics, Office for Medical Services, Region Skåne Lund Sweden
Division of Pathology Department of Clinical Sciences Lund University Lund Sweden
Genomic Medicine Sweden (GMS) Kristianstad Sweden
-
Affiliation as printed
Department of Clinical Genetics Pathology and Molecular Diagnostics, Office for Medical Services, Region Skåne Lund Sweden
Genomic Medicine Sweden (GMS) Kristianstad Sweden
-
Inserm · Université Paris-Saclay · Institut Gustave Roussy
Affiliation as printed
Department of Pediatric and Adolescent Oncology Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus Université Paris‐Saclay Villejuif France
INSERM U1015 Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus Université Paris‐Saclay Villejuif France
-
Inserm · Technologies pour la Santé
Affiliation as printed
Health Technologies Institute Inserm Paris France
Health Technologies Institute, Inserm, Paris, France
-
Georgy Gomon Aachen Department of Medical Oncology Leiden University Medical Centre Leiden The Netherlands Department of Medical Oncology
Leiden University · Leiden University Medical Center · The Netherlands Cancer Institute
Affiliation as printed
Department of Medical Oncology Leiden University Medical Centre Leiden The Netherlands
Department of Molecular Oncology and Immunology The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Antoni van Leeuwenhoek Hospital Amsterdam The Netherlands
Department of Medical Oncology, Leiden University Medical Centre, Leiden, The Netherlands
Department of Molecular Oncology and Immunology, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Antoni van Leeuwenhoek Hospital, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
-
Université de Montpellier · Maladies Infectieuses et Vecteurs: Écologie, Génétique, Évolution et Contrôle
Affiliation as printed
CREEC, MIVEGEC University of Montpellier Montpellier France
Laboratory of Rare Human Circulating Cells University Medical Center of Montpellier Montpellier France
CREEC, MIVEGEC, University of Montpellier, Montpellier, France
Laboratory of Rare Human Circulating Cells, University Medical Center of Montpellier, Montpellier, France
-
Affiliation as printed
Division of Translational Cancer Research Department of Laboratory Medicine Lund University Lund Sweden
-
University Hospital Heidelberg
Affiliation as printed
Centers for Personalized Medicine (ZPM) Heidelberg Germany
Institute of Pathology University Hospital Heidelberg Heidelberg Germany
Centers for Personalized Medicine (ZPM), Heidelberg, Germany
Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
-
Copenhagen University Hospital
Affiliation as printed
Department of Oncology Copenhagen University Hospital Copenhagen Denmark
Department of Oncology, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark
-
Inserm · Université Paris-Saclay · Institut Curie
Affiliation as printed
Department of Drug Development and Innovation (D3i) Institut Curie Paris France
Faculty of Medicine Paris‐Saclay University Paris France
INSERM U900 Research Unit Saint‐Cloud France
Department of Drug Development and Innovation (D3i), Institut Curie, Paris, France
Faculty of Medicine, Paris-Saclay University, Paris, France
INSERM U900 Research Unit, Saint-Cloud, France
-
Science for Life Laboratory · Karolinska Institutet
Affiliation as printed
Department of Oncology Pathology Karolinska Institutet Science for Life Laboratory Stockholm Sweden
Department of Oncology Pathology, Karolinska Institutet, Science for Life Laboratory, Stockholm, Sweden
-
Harvard University · Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
Affiliation as printed
Department of Medical Oncology Dana‐Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School Boston Massachusetts USA
Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
-
German Cancer Research Center · Heidelberg University · University Hospital Heidelberg
Affiliation as printed
Clinical Cooperation Unit Neuropathology German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) Heidelberg Germany
Department of Neuropathology Institute of Pathology Heidelberg University Hospital Heidelberg Germany
Clinical Cooperation Unit Neuropathology, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
Department of Neuropathology, Institute of Pathology, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
-
German Cancer Research Center · National Center for Tumor Diseases · Deutsches Konsortium für Translationale Krebsforschung
Affiliation as printed
Division of Translational Medical Oncology National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT) Heidelberg and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) Heidelberg Germany
German Cancer Consortium (DKTK) Heidelberg Germany
Division of Translational Medical Oncology, National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT) Heidelberg and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Heidelberg, Germany
-
The Netherlands Cancer Institute
Affiliation as printed
Department of Molecular Oncology and Immunology The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Antoni van Leeuwenhoek Hospital Amsterdam The Netherlands
Oncode Institute The Netherlands Cancer Institute Amsterdam The Netherlands
Department of Molecular Oncology and Immunology, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Antoni van Leeuwenhoek Hospital, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Oncode Institute, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
-
German Cancer Research Center · Deutsches Konsortium für Translationale Krebsforschung · Berlin Institute for the Foundations of Learning and Data · Pathologisches Institut · Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin · Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München
Affiliation as printed
BIFOLD – Berlin Institute for the Foundations of Learning and Data Berlin Germany
German Cancer Consortium (DKTK) German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Munich Partner Site Heidelberg Germany
German Cancer Consortium (DKTK) Partner Site Berlin, and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) Heidelberg Germany
Institute of Pathology Charite – Universitätsmedizin Berlin Berlin Germany
Institute of Pathology Ludwig‐Maximilians‐University Munich Germany
German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Munich Partner Site, Heidelberg, Germany
German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Berlin, and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
-
Affiliation as printed
Oncoclínicas Precision Medicine Oncoclínicas Group Sao Paulo Brazil
-
Princess Margaret Cancer Centre
Affiliation as printed
Princess Margaret Cancer Centre Toronto Ontario Canada
Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
-
Princess Margaret Cancer Centre
Affiliation as printed
Princess Margaret Cancer Centre Toronto Ontario Canada
Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
-
Albrecht Stenzinger corresponding
University Hospital Heidelberg
Affiliation as printed
Centers for Personalized Medicine (ZPM) Heidelberg Germany
Institute of Pathology University Hospital Heidelberg Heidelberg Germany
Centers for Personalized Medicine (ZPM), Heidelberg, Germany
Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
Cited by 79 stored of 79
No patents citing this paper on Lens.org (checked 2026-10-11).