
ROCHESTER, Minn. — The promise of precision medicine is becoming a reality as more doctors bring individualized therapies to the bedside. You or a family member could benefit if you suffer from illnesses such as cancer, heart disease, a rare undiagnosed disease or a genetics-based condition. Individualized medicine, also known as precision or personalized medicine, is the concept that prediction, diagnosis, treatment and, eventually, prevention, can be targeted to your individual needs based on genetic profile, environment and lifestyle.
But how do you seek these novel individualized therapies? It often starts with a conversation with your doctor. The Mayo Clinic Center for Individualized Medicine, a catalyst in moving personalized medicine therapies from the laboratory to clinical care, offers these tips on how to talk to your doctor about individualized medicine therapies:
“Precision medicine is already integrated into clinical care. It is important for patients to learn about options, so they can understand whether they are the right candidate for these target therapies,” says Keith Stewart, M.B., Ch.B., the Carlson and Nelson Endowed Director of the Mayo Clinic Center for Individualized Medicine. “They should approach their physicians, seeking an honest and open discussion about benefits and possible challenges to integrating these new therapies into their treatment plans.”
Those who should talk to their doctors about individualized medicine therapies include:
*Note that this is not a comprehensive list of all patients who might benefit from individualized medicine.
MEDIA CONTACT: Susan Buckles, Mayo Clinic Public Affairs, 507-284-5005, newsbureau@mayo.edu
Individualized medicine and how it can benefit patients are the key topics of Individualizing Medicine 2016: Advancing Care Through Genomics. This two-day conference at the Mayo Civic Center in Rochester is bringing together leaders in the field of medicine from around the world. More than 800 medical providers, researchers and biotechnology innovators are attending.
Dr. A. Keith Stewart is the Carlson Nelson Endowed Director Center for Individualized Medicine Anna Maria and Vasek Polak Professor of Cancer Research Division of Hematology-Oncology Mayo Clinic.
The Mayo Clinic Center for Individualized Medicine is hosting the Individualizing Medicine conference with support from the Satter Foundation.
###
About Center for Individualized Medicine
The Center for Individualized Medicine discovers and integrates the latest in genomic, molecular and clinical sciences into personalized care for each Mayo Clinic patient. For more information, visit http://mayoresearch.mayo.edu/center-for-individualized-medicine/.
About Mayo Clinic
Mayo Clinic is a nonprofit organization committed to clinical practice, education and research, providing expert, whole-person care to everyone who needs healing. For more information, visit http://www.mayoclinic.org/about-mayo-clinic or https://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/.
At Mayo Clinic Laboratories, where teamwork powers innovation, a cross-laboratory collaboration has enabled implementation of a cutting-edge, gold standard test for a life-threatening condition known ...
National Wear Red Day is an annual event held each first Friday of February, dedicated to raising awareness about heart disease in women. It's the ...
Congenital heart disease is the most commonly diagnosed disorder in newborns worldwide. While babies born with this condition are living longer and healthier lives, some ...