title: Personalized Approaches to Gastrointestinal Cancers: Importance of Integrating Genomic Information to Guide Therapy.
abstract: Cancers are characterized by complex tumor heterogeneity driven by subclones with differential genotypes and phenotypes, which then drives cancer behavior. As genomic strategies become feasible on smaller samples such as biopsies, coupled with decreasing costs of these approaches, clinicians will increasingly use genomic information to drive therapeutic decision making. Early applications of such personalized approaches are discussed. Genetic testing of high-risk family members may identify patients with germline mutations who can have prophylactic surgeries as a cancer prevention strategy. This article discusses examples of successful targeted therapy. Clinical trials need to incorporate genetic testing to stratify patients into different groups.
authors: Department of Surgery, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 600 North Wolfe Street, Blalock 1202, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA.
authors: Jin
authors: J
authors: He
authors: Department of Surgery, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 600 North Wolfe Street, Blalock 685, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA. Electronic address: nahuja1@jhmi.edu.
authors: Nita
authors: N
authors: Ahuja
mesh_terms: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000235:genetics*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005770:Gastrointestinal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000628:therapy; D005820:Genetic Testing; D023281:Genomics; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D010641:Phenotype; D057285:Precision Medicine / Q000379:methods*; D011379:Prognosis
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor
keywords: Biomarkers; Next-generation sequencing; Targeted therapy; Tumor heterogeneity