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How Personalised Medicine is Revolutionising Cancer Care
- By Lucy Nguyen
- Dec 3
- 2 min read
Cancer treatment is entering a new era. For decades patients with the same type of cancer were given identical treatments, regardless of individual differences. Today, advancements in personalised medicine are transforming this approach by tailoring medicines/treatments to each patient’s genetics, lifestyle and tumour characteristics. This innovation is not only improving survival rates but also reshaping how doctors diagnose and treat cancer.
At the heart of personalised medicine is the ability to analyse the genetic and molecular profile of cancerous cells. Through genomic sequencing, researchers can identify mutations responsible for uncontrolled cell growth. For instance, patients with lung cancer carrying the Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR) mutation can now receive targeted drugs that specifically inhibit the faulty protein driving tumour progression, rather than doing general chemotherapy. By matching treatment to the molecular cause, doctors can increase effectiveness and reduce unnecessary side effects.
Targeted therapies are one of the most significant breakthroughs resulting from this approach. Unlike traditional chemotherapy, which attacks both cancerous and healthy cells, targeted treatments focus on specific molecular pathways. Medications such as tyrosine kinase inhibitors and monoclonal antibodies can block signals that fuel tumour growth. This precision has led to better patient outcomes, fewer complications and improved quality of life.
Personalised medicine is also enhancing the use of immunotherapy, which strengthens the immune system to fight cancer. By analysing biomarkers such as PD-L1 (which acts like a “brake” to keep the body's immune responses under control), physicians can predict whether a patient will respond well to immunotherapy drugs like pembrolizumab or nivolumab. This ensures that patients receive therapies most likely to benefit them while avoiding those unlikely to work. Artificial intelligence, of course, is also further accelerating progress in personalised oncology. By analysing massive datasets of genomic and clinical information, AI can discover patterns invisible to humans, suggesting new treatment combinations and predicting patient outcomes.
One of the ways to check if these personalised drugs work or not is the development of using liquid biopsies. These blood tests detect fragments of tumour DNA circulating in the bloodstream, allowing doctors to monitor treatment response and identify resistance mutations in real time. This non-invasive approach enables continuous assessment of cancer progression without the need for repeated tissue biopsies.
The rise of personalised medicine represents a paradigm shift in oncology. Instead of relying on standard protocols, doctors are now designing treatment plans built around the biology of each patient and their tumour. It is leading to care that is not only more precise but also more humane, reducing unnecessary suffering and giving patients a real sense of control over their treatment.
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