What is the relationship between genetic testing and targeted therapy?
2020-04-28
Surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy are the troika of traditional cancer treatment. In recent years, immunotherapy and targeted therapy have also become popular in anti-tumor therapy. Because of the precision and low side effects of targeted therapy, it has brought good news to clinical patients. Therefore, some patients have taken targeted measures to take targeted therapy, and even spared their lives. Some even use targeted therapies without the guidance of professional doctors or the introduction of patients. Is this really good? Wei Zhixia, director of the Department of Oncology, Hainan Cancer Hospital, said: The same disease may not be the same medicine, and targeted therapy may not be suitable for everyone.
Various forms of tumor treatment, precision medicine is emerging
The treatment of tumors today is no longer a single-person operation in a certain department, but a joint collaboration among multiple disciplines; not all patients need one-size-fits-all surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy, but a patient-centric, multi-disciplinary participation Sexual therapy. According to the patient's condition and physical condition, each patient is accurately staged, and precise, targeted and targeted personalized treatment is used.
In recent years, there have been many new methods such as immunotherapy, targeted therapy, and genetic testing, as well as combined treatments such as immunotherapy + targeted therapy, immunotherapy + chemotherapy, etc., which have significantly improved the survival rate of cancer.
For tumor diseases, medical treatment can be divided into medical and surgery. Some early tumors are often wrapped by a complete capsule. Although the tumor tissue occupies the space of the surrounding organs, it does not invade the surrounding organs. Surgical removal is effective and can even be cured. The treatment of tumors in internal medicine is mainly based on chemotherapy, targeted drugs, immunity, endocrine and traditional Chinese medicine. For patients with difficult mid-to-late stage surgery, preoperative chemotherapy, targeting and immunotherapy can be used to make it difficult to remove Tumors create surgical opportunities and improve patient treatment.
Usually a newly discovered cancer patient will be diagnosed and staged by the doctor first. If it is in the middle or late stage, the tumor is invading the local organs, and the surgery cannot completely remove the diseased tissue. At this time, medical treatment is needed. For example, intestinal obstruction caused by bowel cancer, after palliative surgery, chemotherapy, targeted therapy, immune cell therapy, traditional Chinese medicine and other methods need to be applied to kill tumor cells and improve human function.
Targeted therapy has few side effects, but not for everyone
Different from the mechanism of the "brainless" blow of chemotherapy, targeted drugs can identify cancer cells and normal cells, and only accurately strike the cancer cells, so the side effects on the human body are lighter. But whether patients can apply targeted therapy has to refer to two factors, one is physical tolerance, and the other is efficacy and side effects. Strict target monitoring is usually carried out before targeted therapy. Physical performance, organ functional status and drug resistance are evaluated, and treatment effects and side effects are comprehensively evaluated and predicted. Many patients and their families only focus on the efficacy, and ignore the side effects. In fact, the efficacy and side effects are equally important, because cancer treatment is a protracted battle.
Targeted therapy without genetic testing is to play hooligans
The treatment of tumor diseases is expensive, but if the money is not used, it is a huge waste.
Advances in precision medicine, especially the approval of targeted drugs and immune drugs, have benefited more cancer patients, treatment options are diversified, and high-quality life extension is no longer a dream. But it is of great significance to do genetic testing before targeted therapy. Genetic testing is like GPS navigation, which can help doctors formulate the best treatment path. It also allows patients to obtain clinical results quickly and economically.
Many cancer patients, especially in the late stages, have the mentality of "this will not work, I will change another one". In fact, they ignore the important point. If the drug has no therapeutic effect, it will not only delay the effective treatment time, but also Assuming the side effects of the drug, this side effect causes your physical condition to decline and will seriously affect subsequent treatment. Director Wei Zhixia reminded: Before selecting targeted therapy, it is recommended to do mutation gene monitoring and select effective treatment population.
