Summary:
Current and emerging biomedical science efforts are
driven by determining how to improve clini-cal outcomes
for patients. High-throughput tech-nology has
revolutionized the area of transla-tional research,
confirming the high complexity and heterogeneity of
common diseases, partic-ularly cancer. Therefore,
moving from ‘classic’ single-gene-based molecular
investigation to molecular network research might result
in dis-covering clinical implications faster and more
efficiently .Molecular characterization of tumour cells
enables refinement of classifications for many cancers
and can sometimes guide treatment. Malignant diseases
are no longer classified only by tumour site and histology
but are separated into various homogenous molecular
subtypes, distinguished by a presumed key molecular
alteration. Therapies for patients with cancer have
changed gradually over the past decade, moving away
from the administration of broadly acting cytotoxic drugs
towards the use of more-specific therapies that are
targeted to each tumour. To facilitate this shift, tests need
to be developed to identify those individuals who require
therapy and those who are most likely to benefit from
certain therapies. In particular, tests that predict the
clinical outcome for patients on the basis of the genes
expressed by their tumours are likely to increasingly affect
patient management, heralding a new era of personalized
medicine. In this review a brief discussion on definition
and molecular aspects of personalized medicine and its
practical application for the management of common
solid cancers are highlighted.