Precision medicine is rapidly becoming the standard-of-care for the treatment of cancer patients. This is made possible, in part, by the ready availability and reasonable costs of comprehensive DNA and RNA sequencing assays. However, precision medicine is complex and incorporates entirely new types of data and treatment paradigms that are outside of the training of most oncologists in practice today. Precision Medicine Oncology: A Primer is a concise review of the fundamental principles and applications of precision medicine, intended for clinicians, particularly those working in oncology. It provides an accessible introduction to the technological advances in DNA and RNA sequencing, gives a detailed overview of approaches to the interpretation of molecular test results and their point-of-care implementation for individual patients, and describes innovative clinical trial designs in oncology as well as characteristics of the computational infrastructures through which massive quantities of data are collected, stored, and used in precision medicine oncology.

This volume comprehensively reviews oncology in the precision medicine era of personalized care, latest developments in the field, and indications and clinical trials for the treatment of cancer with targeted therapies, immunotherapy, and epigenetic modulators. It thoroughly addresses concerns of various types of cancers including cancers of the head and neck, lung, colon, esophagus, bladder, pancreas, and breast; melanoma; multiple myeloma; hepatocellular carcinoma; renal cell carcinoma; and sarcomas. It is organized and written in a format that is easy to follow for both clinicians and non-clinical scientists interested in personalized medicine. Chapters cover the identification of the clinical problem and summary of recent findings, tumor biology and heterogeneity, genomics, examples of simple and complex cases, biological pathways, future clinical trials, and financial considerations. Oncology in the Precision Medicine Era: Value-Based Medicine will serve as a useful resource for medical oncologists and healthcare providers tailoring medicine to the needs of the individual patient, from prevention and diagnosis to treatment and follow up.

Genomic sequencing technologies have augmented the classification of cancer beyond tissue of origin and towards a molecular taxonomy of cancer. This has created opportunities to guide treatment decisions for individual patients with cancer based on their cancer’s unique molecular characteristics, also known as precision cancer medicine. The purpose of this text will be to describe the contribution and need for multiple disciplines working together to deliver precision cancer medicine. This entails a multi-disciplinary approach across fields including molecular pathology, computational biology, clinical oncology, cancer biology, drug development, genetics, immunology, and bioethics. Thus, we have outlined a current text on each of these fields as they work together to overcome various challenges and create opportunities to deliver precision cancer medicine. As trainees and junior faculty enter their respective fields, this text will provide a framework for understanding the role and responsibility for each specialist to contribute to this team science approach.

A FRESH EXAMINATION OF PRECISION MEDICINE'S INCREASINGLY PROMINENT ROLE IN THE FIELD OF ONCOLOGY Precision medicine takes into account each patient's specific characteristics and requirements to arrive at treatment plans that are optimized towards the best possible outcome. As the field of oncology continues to advance, this tailored approach is becoming more and more prevalent, channelling data on genomics, proteomics, metabolomics and other areas into new and innovative methods of practice. Precision Medicine in Oncology draws together the essential research driving the field forward, providing oncology clinicians and trainees alike with an illuminating overview of the technology and thinking behind the breakthroughs currently being made. Topics covered include: Biologically-guided radiation therapy Informatics for precision medicine Molecular imaging Biomarkers for treatment assessment Big data Nanoplatforms Casting a spotlight on this emerging knowledge base and its impact upon the management of tumors, Precision Medicine in Oncology opens up new possibilities and ways of working not only for oncologists, but also for molecular biologists, radiologists, medical geneticists, and others.

Motivated by the explosion of molecular data on humans-particularly data associated with individual patients-and the sense that there are large, as-yet-untapped opportunities to use this data to improve health outcomes, Toward Precision Medicine explores the feasibility and need for "a new taxonomy of human disease based on molecular biology" and develops a potential framework for creating one. The book says that a new data network that integrates emerging research on the molecular makeup of diseases with clinical data on individual patients could drive the development of a more accurate classification of diseases and ultimately enhance diagnosis and treatment. The "new taxonomy" that emerges would define diseases by their underlying molecular causes and other factors in addition to their traditional physical signs and symptoms. The book adds that the new data network could also improve biomedical research by enabling scientists to access patients' information during treatment while still protecting their rights. This would allow the marriage of molecular research and clinical data at the point of care, as opposed to research information continuing to reside primarily in academia. Toward Precision Medicine notes that moving toward individualized medicine requires that researchers and health care providers have access to very large sets of health- and disease-related data linked to individual patients. These data are also critical for developing the information commons, the knowledge network of disease, and ultimately the new taxonomy.

Clinical Precision Medicine: A Primer offers clinicians, researchers and students a practical, up-to-date resource on precision medicine, its evolving technologies, and pathways towards clinical implementation. Early chapters address the fundamentals of molecular biology and gene regulation as they relate to precision medicine, as well as the foundations of heredity and epigenetics. Oncology, an early adopter of precision approaches, is considered with its relationship to genetic variation in drug metabolism, along with tumor immunology and the impact of DNA variation in clinical care. Contributions by Stephanie Kramer, a Clinical Genetic Counselor, also provide current information on prenatal diagnostics and adult genetics that highlight the critical role of genetic counselors in the era of precision medicine. - Includes applied discussions of chromosomes and chromosomal abnormalities, molecular genetics, epigenetic regulation, heredity, clinical genetics, pharmacogenomics and immunogenomics - Features chapter contributions from leaders in the field - Consolidates fundamental concepts and current practices of precision medicine in one convenient resource

Cancer Genomics for the Clinician is a practical guide to cancer genomics and its application to cancer diagnosis and care. The book begins with a brief overview of the various types of genetic alterations that are encountered in cancer, followed by accessible and applicable information on next generation sequencing technology and bioinformatics; tumor heterogeneity; whole genome, exome, and transcriptome sequencing; epigenomics; and data analysis and interpretation. Each chapter provides essential explanations of concepts, terminology, and methods. Also included are tips for interpreting and analyzing molecular data, as well as a discussion of molecular predictors for targeted therapies covering hematologic malignancies and solid tumors. The final chapter explains the use of FDA-approved genomic-based targeted therapies for breast cancer, lung cancer, sarcomas, gastrointestinal cancers, urologic cancers, head and neck cancer, thyroid cancer, and many more. Assembled in an accessible format specifically designed for the non-expert, this book provides the clinical oncologist, early career practitioner, and trainee with an essential understanding of the molecular and genetic basis of cancer and the clinical aspects that have led to advancements in diagnosis and treatment. With this resource, physicians and trainees will increase their breadth of knowledge and be better equipped to educate patients and families who want to know more about their genetic predispositions to cancer and the targeted therapies that could be considered and prescribed. Key Features: Describes how cancer genomics and next generation sequencing informs cancer screening, risk factors, therapeutic options, and clinical management across cancer types Explains what mutations are, what tests are needed, and how to interpret the results Provides information on FDA-approved targeted therapies that are being used in the clinic Covers different sequencing platforms and technologies and how they perform in research settings Includes access to the fully searchable eBook