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The Promise & Peril of Personalized Oncology

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It seems like everyone is talking about personalized medicine. What is the real promise here and what might be hype? Personalized medicine in cancer includes the use of genetic testing to determine the molecular makeup of a tumor. It also addresses other important issues, like cancer not being just one disease. ‘Breast cancer’ and ‘lung cancer’ are both comprised of many different diseases, and many respond to different therapies. All of this enables physicians to match the patient with the best treatment, sparing patients from undergoing therapy that may not yield the best results. Expanding the discussion on this episode of Patient Power is Dr. Jeffrey Sosman, Professor of Medicine in Hematology/Oncology and Dr. William Pao, Ingram Associate Professor of Cancer Research at Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center. Lee, a patient, also joins the discussion to share how this ground floor research in personalized oncology care has impacted his life.

Lee Lange, of Clarksville, Tennessee, is a 62-year-old former high school biology teacher. He is fighting for his life against advanced melanoma, which first appeared in his brain, and later in his abdomen. Lee was lucky enough to have his cancer cells studied for their genetic makeup and benefited greatly by participating in a clinical trial at Vanderbilt University Medical Center where an experimental medicine targeted his specific cancer-causing gene. The personalized approach held the cancer in check for about a year and a half. Now Lee is enrolled in a second clinical trial and believes his participation in trials at a major research institution has significantly lengthened his life.

Dr. Sosman talks about melanoma research over the years and how the study of specific genes has altered the atmosphere of recommended therapies. He speaks about matching abnormalities in tumor cells with specific therapies to that abnormality, not only for melanomas, but for all cancers across the board. He emphasizes this process should be reproduced for all cancers, “whether they come from the colon, mouth, skin or the gallbladder.” A concept he describes as changing the “approach to treatment.” Dr. Pao focuses on research efforts in the past decade honing in on why cancers occur in the first place. Don’t miss this jam-packed program where a researcher, doctor and patient all offer a glimpse into the future of personalized cancer care.

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EXPERTS & GUESTS:
William Pao, M.D., Ph.D. William Pao, M.D., Ph.D.
Ingram Associate Professor of Cancer Research, Vanderbilt Medical Center
Dr. Pao is a physician-scientist with a special interest in thoracic oncology. Dr. Pao's research focuses on identification of genes involved in the pathogenesis of lung tumors and stratifying tumors into clinically relevant molecular subsets. Using information derived from these experiments, Dr. Pao seeks to improve treatment for patients with non-small cell lung cancer. His research has yielded important insights... more >

Jeffrey Sosman, M.D. Jeffrey Sosman, M.D.
Professor of Medicine, Vanderbilt Medical Center
Dr. Sosman directs the Melanoma Program (skin cancer) which is a highly integrated effort between oncology, dermatology, surgical oncology, and radiation oncology. This program provides patients with a thorough multi-disciplinary evaluation of their disease and cutting edge treatment options. Dr. Sosman's research includes studying skin cancers that are likely to recur and have no standard prevention treatment. He also compares... more >

Lee Lange,
Advanced Melanoma
Lee Lange, of Clarksville, Tennessee, is a 62-year-old former high school biology teacher. He is fighting for his life against advanced melanoma which had first appeared in his brain, and later in his abdomen. Lee was lucky enough to have his cancer cells studied for their genetic makeup and benefited greatly by participating in a clinical trial at Vanderbilt Medical... more >

TRANSCRIPT:

  1. Introduction LISTEN
  2. Lee's Story LISTEN
  3. Melanoma Research Over the Years LISTEN
  4. Personalized Therapies Based on Mutations LISTEN
  5. Targeting Specific Gene Mutations LISTEN
  6. Studies on Smoking and Risk of Lung Cancer LISTEN
  7. Clinical Trials from the Patients Perspective LISTEN
  8. Deciding if a Clinical Trial is for you LISTEN
  9. Diagnosing Other Cancers Based on Genes LISTEN
  10. Personalized Medicine and the Future of Cancer Care LISTEN

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