title: Personalized medicine: CCO's vision, accomplishments and future plans.
abstract: Personalized medicine is a rapidly expanding field, with the potential to improve patient care. Its benefits include increasing efficiency in cancer screening, diagnosis and treatment through early detection, targeted therapy and identifying individuals with an underlying genetic risk for cancer or adverse outcomes. Through the work of Cancer Care Ontario (CCO)'s Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Program, a number of initiatives have been undertaken to support developments in personalized medicine. In keeping with the momentum of recent accomplishments, CCO has led the formation of the Personalized Medicine Steering Committee to develop a comprehensive provincial genetics strategy for the future of cancer care.
authors.affiliation: Policy Research Analyst, Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Program at Cancer Care Ontario.
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.affiliation: Professor of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto; Affiliate Scientist, The Ontario Cancer Institute; Head, Clinical Laboratory Genetics; and Director, Molecular Diagnostics, The University Health Network. She is Co-Chair of the Cancer Care Ontario Molecular Oncology Advisory Committee, a member of the Ontario Personalized Medicine Network, a member of the Ontario Ministry of Health Genetics Testing Advisory Committee and a member of the Ontario Genetics Secretariat Executive.
authors.forename: Suzanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kamel-Reid
authors.affiliation: Staff Pathologist and Director of the molecular diagnostics laboratory at Health Sciences North and Assistant Professor at the Northern Ontario School of Medicine.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rutherford
authors.affiliation: Manager, Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Program at Cancer Care Ontario. Prior to joining CCO, Jennifer's career focused on health-service integration, tobacco control and education.
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hart
authors.affiliation: Director, Clinical Programs - Diagnosis and Treatment at Cancer Care Ontario.
authors.forename: Saul
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Melamed
authors.affiliation: Provincial Head, Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Program at Cancer Care Ontario. He is an Anatomic Pathologist and Co-Director of the Division of Diagnostic Medical Genetics at Mount Sinai Hospital and an Associate Professor in the Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology at the University of Toronto.
authors.forename: Aaron
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pollett
mesh_terms: D005544:Forecasting; D006801:Humans; D008495:Medical Oncology / Q000379:methods / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000592:standards / Q000639:trends; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy; D009864:Ontario; D057285:Precision Medicine / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards / Q000639:trends; D058996:Quality Improvement