The search for precision

[摘要] The concept of “precision medicine” includes the ability to prospectively determine how best to provide the right therapy to the right patient to treat the right disease. The goal of providing tailored treatment is not a new concept. It is the cornerstone of all therapies, especially antimicrobial and cancer chemotherapy, where we tailor therapeutic choice on the basis of host and target. What is new is the hope or expectation that we will be able to do this accurately in advance of gathering information from any empiric “n of 1” clinical trial in the individual patient. With our burgeoning understanding of the human genome and ever-advancing understanding of molecular pathophysiology linked to the parallel development of sophisticated molecular tests and targeted therapies, we are developing ways to predict with a degree of precision that was heretofore not attainable in the clinic.

[学科分类] 卫生学