Personalized medicine customizes health care based on an individual’s unique environment, clinical profile, and genetics. Until recently, it was reasonable to assume that modification of oral care according to a patient’s needs constituted personalized oral health.
Method:
Advances in the management of patients with head and neck cancer (HNC) have not significantly changed the prognosis of this tumour over the past five decades. Molecular heterogeneity of HNC and its association with HPV, in addition to the increase in the number of cancers arising in traditionally low-risk patients, are among some of the obstacles to the successful management of this group of tumours. Massively parallel sequencing, otherwise known as next generation sequencing (NGS), is rapidly changing conventional patient management by providing detailed information about each patient’s genome and transcriptome. Despite major advances in technology and a significant reduction in the cost of sequencing, NGS remains mainly limited to research facilities, although this is rapidly changing.
Result:
There are only a few published studies that have utilized NGS technology in HNC. This session will discuss the clinical applications, ethical considerations, and utilization of NGS in personalized patient care, particularly as this relates to HNC.
Conclusion:
The next generation of clinicians will be expected to personalize their management according to the molecular profiles of their patients. At this stage, head and neck cancer appears to be the primary beneficiary of this change.