How precision medicine is transforming oncology care

In an interview, Peter Raouf, Director, GCC Oncology Business, AstraZeneca, discusses the benefits and challenges that precision medicine presents today.

In an interview with Omnia Health Magazine, Peter Raouf, Director, GCC Oncology Business, AstraZeneca, discussed the benefits and challenges that precision medicine presents today. While chemotherapy is an essential part of the treatment and will continue to be so, it will be complemented with more targeted therapies or precision medicine as we move forward – with the expectation that these will improve patient experiences and outcomes. What are some of the potential benefits of precision medicine in oncology? Moreover, there are many long-term benefits for precision medicine. When you give the proper treatment, you ensure that the overall burden of treating the cancer patient is reduced. Our role is to make sure that we convey the latest information and adequately educate the healthcare community about the tools required for precision medicine, as well as ensure patients are aware of the options available to improve their experience as they undergo treatment. It is also vital to support the infrastructure to accommodate tests that will help physicians or healthcare professionals identify the right patient profile for each of these new precision medicine treatments.

Precision medicine will continue to be a significant focus area for the whole medical community in the coming years. Attention should also be paid to discovering more driver mutations because once you find out those for certain types of cancer, you will be able to identify the test for this mutation and the treatment.