How Precision Medicine Transforms Patient Care
Biomarkers facilitate the development of precise diagnostic tools and targeted therapeutic interventions
Even the most effective treatment may not affect everybody in the same manner. But why are there variabilities in the way people respond to therapeutics? They may be caused by differences in our genetic makeup, environmental or lifestyle factors, and the interactions between them. Developing treatments that take into account the individual characteristics of patients may help better address their needs.
How is precision medicine defined?
Precision medicine aims to identify individualised approaches for the prevention and treatment of medical disorders that will optimise the efficacy of drugs and reduce their adverse effects. To achieve this goal, precision medicine considers the genetic, lifestyle, and environmental differences among different people and identifies relevant biomarkers.
The role of biomarkers in precision medicine
A biomarker is a molecule in the body that can indicate a normal or pathological process or a medical condition. The diversity of biomarkers is impressive. For example, they can be found in blood, saliva, urine, stool, or body tissues. Moreover, both individual molecules and biomarker panels can be established. Different molecules (including DNA, RNA, proteins, and metabolites), cells, and physiological or imaging parameters can serve as biomarkers.
Not only the types of biomarkers but also their functions are diverse. According to the Biomarkers, EndpointS and other Tools (BEST) glossary, different categories of biomarkers include:
- Susceptibility/risk biomarkers — They indicate the risk of developing a medical condition.
- Diagnostic biomarkers, detect the presence of a medical condition or a specific disease subtype.
- Monitoring biomarkers — When assessed repeatedly, they provide information about the status of a medical condition or exposure to a drug or an environmental agent.
- Prognostic biomarkers, predict the chance of a certain clinical event, disease recurrence, or disease progression.
- Predictive biomarkers indicate who is more likely to respond favourably or unfavourably to a drug or an environmental agent.
- Response biomarkers — They identify the presence of a biological response after an individual has been exposed to a drug or an environmental agent.
- Safety biomarkers, which predict the likelihood of an adverse effect after exposure to a drug or an environmental agent.
How technological advances promote the progress of precision medicine
The development of technological approaches with high throughput or a strong ability to detect inter-individual differences has also contributed to the identification of novel biomarkers and drug targets. Examples of such strategies, which can be employed individually or in combination, include:
- “Omics” approaches – They enable the simultaneous analysis of numerous molecules. “Omics” approaches may include high-throughput analysis of DNA (genomics), gene transcripts (transcriptomics), epigenetic modifications (epigenomics), proteins (proteomics), or metabolites (metabolomics).
- Machine learning and artificial intelligence, facilitate the thorough analysis of large datasets and the identification of complex data patterns. Moreover, they can be used to classify data and predict outcomes.
- Imaging techniques also can help to identify diagnostic or treatment biomarkers.
Challenges facing precision medicine
The development of precision medicine still faces a number of challenges. In particular, it may be associated with high costs and potential ethical issues. Moreover, the management of algorithms and large datasets is complex and may require a substantial investment in personnel training.
The evolving role of precision medicine
Despite the challenges it faces, precision medicine is transforming patient care. The number of biomarkers that have found applications in diagnostic and treatment decision-making is increasing, and technological advances further promote the development of precision medicine.
