lunes, 8 de febrero de 2016

Personalized Precision Medicine


As we look forward to medical breakthroughs of the future, precision medicine becomes more of a reality in your medical care. Precision medicine uses treatment and intervention based on a person’s genetic and non-genetic (e.g. lifestyle, environment).  Unlike the present but ever changing protocols for wellness and disease management that are used on everyone, precision medicine is individualized just for you.  It will be your own prescription for staying well and treating your ailments. 

The basis of precision medicine is genomics.  Sequencing of your genome is done.  This molecular process identifies normal and abnormal genes.  Genomic mutations are studied and tested for different characteristics.  The results of this testing allows for prevention, diagnosis, and treatment based on your molecule makeup within your genes that have been influenced by family history, lifestyle, and environment.  DNA analysis of your genes in addition to a thorough history and physical will help your doctor determine what you have and what health risks may be present.  This information will then be used for further diagnosis and treatment.  Prevention of conditions that you are prone to develop may be less likely to develop if at all.

Precision medicine has become prevalent in drug treatment as well as disease diagnosis.  Clinical pharmacogenetics makes use of patient’s genetic data as a guide for drug therapy.  This information can then help your doctor pick the right medication for you. Pharmacogenetic information for blood thinners like coumadin and clopidogrel can be helpful in choosing which will work best for you with least complications.  Neonatal (newborn) diabetes and mature onset diabetes of the young (MODY) are rare causes of diabetes.  The cause of these types of diabetes is from an inherited mutation of one gene (monogenic).  Genetic testing can make the correct diagnosis that would otherwise be missed or misdiagnosed.  Some cancers have specific gene mutations that can be detected and treated successfully based on this information.  Drugs are made to target these and eradicate the cancer.

Thousands of disease genes and genetic tests have been discovered since the Human Genome Project of 2003.  As costs go down and precision medicine improves, personalized medicine will get more precise.  Prevention instead of treatment will be more likely.  Genetic tests and treatments for the individual will be precisely what the doctor orders for you.  Best health!