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- What Are Genomics & Why Are They Vital For Second Opinions?
What Are Genomics & Why Are They Vital For Second Opinions?
The first few days following a suspected diagnosis of cancer are often exceptionally quick, as oncologists will learn as much as they can about the type of cancer, its location and its prognosis ahead of establishing a treatment plan.
Time is exceptionally important, as early diagnosis and treatment allow for a wider range of less intrusive cancer treatments to be used to eradicate the tumour entirely, rather than shrink it or minimise its symptoms.
To help with this, we offer an advanced second opinion service, using advanced genomic knowledge to provide accurate diagnoses, shape treatment plans, and ultimately provide peace of mind that any treatment or neurosurgical intervention is the best possible approach.
What are genomics? How are they used in diagnostics and treatment? And why are they such an essential tool for second opinions?
Whilst DNA was discovered in 1953 and the Human Genome Project sequenced the entire human genetic blueprint in 2003, genomics has moved extremely quickly as a medical pathway over the past decade, aided by the 100,000 Genomes Project that completed in 2018.
Thanks in no small part to increased computing power and cheaper costs to sequence DNA, genomics has become a vital tool in diagnosing and treating genetic diseases, including cancer.
A cancer cell often has mistakes in its genetic code, which stop it from knowing when to stop multiplying, where to place itself in the body, how to mature into specific types of cells or when to break away as part of human waste.
Being able to use genomic tests to work out how and why cells are mutating can help to identify particular tumours, risk factors and the potential for said cancer to spread.
Cancer is a genetic disease, and learning more about how it affects our cells or spreads at its most basic level can be a pivotal part of saving lives.
Genomics can alert people to potential risk factors, allow for early detection and thus earlier treatments, and provide greater insight for a multidisciplinary team to develop a treatment tailored to your needs.
Precision medicine, often known as personalised or individual medicine, is the use of targeted medical interventions based not only on medical precedent and what works for the average person, but also on genetic, lifestyle and environmental factors.
In cancer treatment, precision medicine is the use of targeted therapies that strike at the particular properties of a tumour rather than its initial location and other types of biomarkers.
A tailored precision medicine plan can attack a tumour with specific biomarkers, providing much more effective treatment and less of a need for more invasive interventions.
It also removes a lot of the guesswork that comes from some more complex cancer treatments, with medications known to have fewer side effects because they are far more amenable to your body and your genes.
As precision medicine matures as an applied medical field, it will become more available to everyone and ensure that every treatable cancer type is treated as effectively as possible.
The fundamental process for using genomics for second opinions is similar; a biopsy is undertaken to collect a sample from the cancer, which is then analysed through genomic sequencing to identify mutations and biomarkers that will shape your treatment.
Genomics for second opinions is not typically aimed at finding out if cancer is there; a second opinion will typically be arranged if there is a strong suspicion or a set of tests which confirms a cancer diagnosis.
Instead, it will look for a comprehensive set of information that will enable oncologists to plan as targeted a treatment as possible, examining every option, ruling out common treatments and optimising the best possible approaches to care.
Explore the Queen Square website to learn more about our advanced diagnostics that could shape cancer treatments or offer second opinions.
Time is exceptionally important, as early diagnosis and treatment allow for a wider range of less intrusive cancer treatments to be used to eradicate the tumour entirely, rather than shrink it or minimise its symptoms.
To help with this, we offer an advanced second opinion service, using advanced genomic knowledge to provide accurate diagnoses, shape treatment plans, and ultimately provide peace of mind that any treatment or neurosurgical intervention is the best possible approach.
What are genomics? How are they used in diagnostics and treatment? And why are they such an essential tool for second opinions?
What Are Genomics?
The study of our genetic code and how it relates to health and disease, genomics is the practical understanding that doctors have of the DNA building blocks of your body, in order to identify potential risk factors, the effectiveness of treatment types and help accurately diagnose cancer.Whilst DNA was discovered in 1953 and the Human Genome Project sequenced the entire human genetic blueprint in 2003, genomics has moved extremely quickly as a medical pathway over the past decade, aided by the 100,000 Genomes Project that completed in 2018.
Thanks in no small part to increased computing power and cheaper costs to sequence DNA, genomics has become a vital tool in diagnosing and treating genetic diseases, including cancer.
How Is Genomics Used In Cancer Diagnostics?
Whilst there are hundreds of types and countless variations, cancer is a disease characterised by genetic mutations on a cellular level.A cancer cell often has mistakes in its genetic code, which stop it from knowing when to stop multiplying, where to place itself in the body, how to mature into specific types of cells or when to break away as part of human waste.
Being able to use genomic tests to work out how and why cells are mutating can help to identify particular tumours, risk factors and the potential for said cancer to spread.
Cancer is a genetic disease, and learning more about how it affects our cells or spreads at its most basic level can be a pivotal part of saving lives.
Genomics can alert people to potential risk factors, allow for early detection and thus earlier treatments, and provide greater insight for a multidisciplinary team to develop a treatment tailored to your needs.
How Are Genomics Used In Cancer Treatment?
One of the most exciting and rapidly developing applications of genomics is in the field of precision medicine.Precision medicine, often known as personalised or individual medicine, is the use of targeted medical interventions based not only on medical precedent and what works for the average person, but also on genetic, lifestyle and environmental factors.
In cancer treatment, precision medicine is the use of targeted therapies that strike at the particular properties of a tumour rather than its initial location and other types of biomarkers.
A tailored precision medicine plan can attack a tumour with specific biomarkers, providing much more effective treatment and less of a need for more invasive interventions.
It also removes a lot of the guesswork that comes from some more complex cancer treatments, with medications known to have fewer side effects because they are far more amenable to your body and your genes.
As precision medicine matures as an applied medical field, it will become more available to everyone and ensure that every treatable cancer type is treated as effectively as possible.
How Are Genomics Used For Cancer Second Opinions?
Genomics are utilised slightly differently for second opinions than they are for an initial diagnosis, in no small part because a genomic team has some information and test results to work with.The fundamental process for using genomics for second opinions is similar; a biopsy is undertaken to collect a sample from the cancer, which is then analysed through genomic sequencing to identify mutations and biomarkers that will shape your treatment.
Genomics for second opinions is not typically aimed at finding out if cancer is there; a second opinion will typically be arranged if there is a strong suspicion or a set of tests which confirms a cancer diagnosis.
Instead, it will look for a comprehensive set of information that will enable oncologists to plan as targeted a treatment as possible, examining every option, ruling out common treatments and optimising the best possible approaches to care.
Explore the Queen Square website to learn more about our advanced diagnostics that could shape cancer treatments or offer second opinions.
