Realising the promise of genomic testing across oncology

Unlocking the secrets of the human genome has long been an ambitious pursuit for researchers around the world.

Over the past two decades, innovative research efforts, such as the Human Genome Project and 100,000 Genomes Project, have vastly expanded our understanding of the human genome and its role in driving research and development in oncology. Understandably, these ground-breaking studies have captured the attention of many across the industry, acting as a catalyst for new research into the molecular biology of cancer and revealing the biomarkers that help to diagnose and follow the course of disease and treatment outcome.

“There has been a surge in the number of biomarkers discovered through a broader understanding of the molecular pathways involved in the development of cancer, both across solid and liquid tumours,” explains Orlaith Brennan, market development director, Patient & Market Access at IQVIA. “In the past few years, the testing that we can deploy to analyse the genomic profile of a tumour has expanded, and the number of therapies targeting the specific genes and proteins driving cancer cell growth has increased as a result.”

Today, the landscape of genomic testing and research is rapidly progressing, with significant scientific and technological advances driving a paradigm shift in the understanding of oncology at a molecular level. In a small but growing number of tumour types, empowered with a genomic fingerprint of the disease, practitioners can offer patients a truly personalised treatment, one that will address the specific change in the DNA of their tumour.

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