Physicians Speak: What about biomarkers is keeping me up at night?

Precision medicine has transformed how physicians care for their patients, both in the preventive actions that can be taken for patients at higher risk for certain diseases, and in selecting the best treatments for those who have been diagnosed with a disease.

Incorporating biomarkers into their practice has enabled physicians to better select patients for targeted therapies, especially in oncology. Biomarkers such as HER2, ALK, and BRAF have been used to select patients for truly transformative therapies. Today, dozens of targeted therapies have been approved across a variety of cancer types. Biomarkers are most often used for treatment selection in breast and lung cancer, but there is growing use across other cancers including gynecological and gastrointestinal, as well as in tumor-agnostic therapies.

While targeted treatments drive positive advances to patient care, the need to test for new biomarkers during the diagnostic journey generates additional complexities for many healthcare professionals

… from pathologists now responsible for juggling increasing numbers and types of diagnostic tests

… to nurses (often the main point of contact for patients) who must remain up-todate on the latest advances in testing and how that can change the patient’s diagnostic journey and influence treatment decisions

… to physicians who must consider even more algorithms when assessing treatment options for their patients

Ultimately, the ability to tailor treatment to individual patient characteristics offers immense benefits to patient care, and biomarker testing is already a reality in current medical practice. As newer technologies such as liquid biopsy, NGS, and digital pathology become more widespread, you can be sure that we at Quadrant will keep a close eye and stay informed on the latest developments in precision medicine and personalizing treatment to each patient.