OhioHealth Medical Minute: Precision Medicine

Welcome to another OhioHealth Medical Minute, where today, the focus is on precision medicine for cancer. In the video above, Mark Zangardi, certified oncology pharmacist and OhioHealth precision medicine coordinator, goes into detail about what precision medicine is and which patients are best suited for it.

In brief, precision medicine strategies help the care team determine the best course of treatment for patients – because each person’s tumor is unique. It uses genetic testing of tumor cells and the patient’s health data to identify personalized treatments, including any relevant clinical trials that might be beneficial. The care team can also use information from similar patients across the country to impact treatment decisions for current and future patients.

Precision medicine isn’t something that OhioHealth is just starting. There are oncologists that have been doing this kind of testing and other precision medicine strategies already – what is new is that there is now a coordinated program and dedicated tumor board that will review patient cases and help recommend treatment options. The tumor board is made up of experts that analyze patients’ unique tumor characteristics and identify the best available treatment options, tailored to each patient. The tumor board includes: pharmacists, genetic counselors, research coordinators, pathologists and physician specialists with expertise in cancer and genomics.

Currently, precision medicine is used for select patients, such as those with a late stage or recurrent cancer. Patients or families who might be interested in this should talk to their oncologist about why they might or might not be a good candidate.

To learn more about OhioHealth Cancer Care, click here.