“Reclassification of cancer is happening”, tuitta Eibhlin Mulroe del Cancer Trial Ireland (http://www.cancertrials.ie/) commentando la relazione di Razelle Kurzrock la cui frase chiave è “The future is to customise therapy in combinations”. “Will the next generation of oncologists subspecialize in the pathway rather than the anatomic site?” replica Yousuf Zafar, specialista in oncologia gastrointestinale alla Duke University. “If this ever happens, won’t be next generation”, chiude Vinay Prasad (Oregon University).
Volenti o nolenti la medicina di precisione sarà la grande protagonista del congresso 2016 dell’American Society of Clinical Oncology. Molte aspettative anche da paesi tradizionalmente prudenti come la Gran Bretagna: “A number of studies will present results at ASCO showing that this approach can extend survival in many different cancer types, while a study being launched in the UK – if all goes as experts hope – could result in up to 7,000 women being spared the toxic side-effects of chemotherapy, while saving the NHS an estimated £17m”, scrive The Guardian.(https://www.theguardian.com/science/2016/jun/03/targeted-cancer-treatment-american-society-clinical-oncology-conference-chicago?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter)
Il punto è ridurre il numero dei pazienti inutilmente trattati perché non rispondenti alle terapie. “In some ways it is simple – ammette Roy Herbst, direttore dello Yale Cancer Center -. It means that you can make sure you are giving the right drug to the right person at the right time. In others it is very complex, because there are so many pieces to the jigsaw. We need to put the puzzle together.”
La medicina di precisione è la cura sbagliata per la malattia sofferta dal sistema sanitario statunitense, sostiene invece Allen Frances su Twitter. “We need less high tech, more public health and patient centered care.”
Non sono pochi a pensarla come lui.
Luca De Fiore
