Kansas City Business Journal: Making Cancer Personal

Advances in precision medicine are leading to highly personalized treatment plans and improving outcomes for patients with cancer and rare diseases.

The Kansas City Business Journal talked to experts in precision medicine across the metro. Dr. Marc Roth, a gastrointestinal oncologist, and Beth Gustafson, a clinical pharmacist, shared how Saint Luke's Hospital Center for Precision Oncology works to detect underlying drivers of cancer and target them with precision medicines.

“Genomic testing really has transformed the way that we work. It used to be just chemotherapies — that was it,” said Dr. Roth.

Now, a “tumor board” — oncologists, pathologists, pharmacists and researchers — assesses patients’ genomic information, medical history, current treatment plans and, if needed, recommends other drugs or clinical trials. The Saint Luke’s team also brings clinical trials to patients, rather than have them travel out of state, through a collaboration with the Tempus TIME Trial program.

“These targeted therapies really can change people’s lives and lengthen their lifespans when they have cancer,” she said.

Read the full Kansas City Business Journal article: Making Cancer Personal