2024-09-02 07:11:04
In this article for EFEsalud, professor of Pathological Anatomy at the University of Cantabria, José Javier Gómez Román, analyzes the advances in the knowledge of cancers that improve patient survival.
Professor of Pathological Anatomy José Javier Gómez Román. Photo provided
The knowledge of molecular changes, the hallmarks of each cancer, is called Precision Medicine that allows for more personalized and effective treatments.
Dr. José Javier Gómez Román also discusses this in his article. Head of the Pathological Anatomy Service at the Marqués de Valdecilla University Hospital in Santander.
Researcher responsible for the Anatomical Pathology and Molecular Pathology group of the Marqués de Valdecilla Research Institute and the Precision, Translational and Applied Medicine group (PTA-Med) of the Department of Medicine and Surgical Sciences of the University of Cantabria.
The doctor is responsible for the development and creation of biomarkers for personalized medicine in oncology with the preferred development of those related to lung cancer.
Biomarkers in cancer: How to improve survival with a more precise diagnosis?
José Javier Gómez Román
Cancer is a disease based on genetics but it is not a myth in general. This is because the cells that cause it are the only ones that have changes in their genes produced by different stimuli (smoking, environmental agents, ultraviolet radiation, etc.). Therefore, each cell can accumulate one or more changes in genes (mutations) that make them specific and important..
Therefore, no two diseases are the same since, although the basic structure is the same, their mutation profile makes them different. Until now, we classified cancers based mainly on their physical appearance from biopsies. In this way, the number we are able to distinguish is small (about 250 diseases). However, by being able to analyze the differences that appear in the genes, we increase the species and have a deeper understanding of their specific characteristics.
What may seem like the only research is the basis of Personalized or Reference Medicine in the field of cancer. If we know which mechanisms are broken in the tumor cell, we will be able to combine specific drugs that only aim at changing that structure, we will have fewer side effects and the treatment will be more specific open.
To do this, we first need a physical examination (biopsy), observe the cells that compose them under the microscope and thus confirm that we are dealing with neoplasia. Once this is done, we will continue to extract the nucleic acids from the tumor cells (DNA and RNA) and we will analyze them with advanced techniques that allow us to see the basic process and whether it changes in any place. Next generation sequencing (NGS) techniques allow this to be done on a large scale.
And in the end, if we find a change that has developed a specific drug, it can be provided to the patient. And even if the clinical examination knows that it is present, the patient is informed about its presence.
Laboratory spiesor, to spread the work of central research services and, in particular, Pathological Anatomy, they appreciate that the public knows what is behind the diagnosis of a disease that, in many cases, is kept cold without knowing the work of a large number of professionals and their passion for improving the lives of patients.
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