Latest news with #personalizedmedicine
Medscape
a day ago
- Health
- Medscape
ASCO 2025: Key Updates in Early Breast Cancer Care
Mariana Chavez MacGregor, MD, MSc, comments on how the ASCO 2025 meeting delivered a wealth of impactful data, particularly in the early-stage breast cancer setting. Trials like neoCARHP and CompassHER2 raised important questions about de-escalating therapy for HER2-positive patients, challenging the role of carboplatin and demonstrating strong pathologic complete response rates with shorter regimens. Long-term data from SOFT and TEXT reinforced the survival benefits of ovarian suppression plus an aromatase inhibitor in high-risk premenopausal patients, and the OASIS 4 study showed promise with elinzanetant in managing vasomotor symptoms. Across subtypes, including triple-negative disease, and with the growing role of AI and circulating tumor DNA, the meeting emphasized more personalized, less toxic approaches to care.
The Independent
29-05-2025
- Business
- The Independent
NHS to roll out ‘revolutionary' blood test for lung cancer
People with lung cancer will be offered a new blood test designed to speed up access to targeted treatments and avoid unnecessary biopsies, officials have announced. About 15,000 patients a year are expected to benefit from the world-first rollout, according to NHS England. The test, known as a liquid biopsy, uses a blood sample to look for tiny fragments of tumour DNA and detect mutations. This allows patients to access therapies tailored to the genetic profile of their disease much faster. The test will also be used to check breast cancer patients for a wider range of genetic variants to see if they are eligible for targeted treatments, officials said. Experts are exploring how liquid biopsies could be used for more forms of cancer. Lung cancer is usually diagnosed with a combination of scans and biopsies, during which specialists take a small sample of lung tissue to examine under a microscope. While tissue samples can be sent for genomic testing – which show genetic mutations linked to cancer development – liquid biopsies mean patients get results faster. About 10,000 people with non-small cell lung cancer – the most common type – have already had a liquid biopsy as part of an NHS pilot involving 176 hospitals. The wider rollout is expected to benefit 15,000 patients every year. Professor Peter Johnson, NHS national clinical director for cancer, said: 'Liquid biopsies are leading us into a new era of personalised cancer care and it's fantastic that we are now able to expand the use of this revolutionary test on the NHS to help tailor treatment for thousands of patients across the country.' The pilot scheme showed patients who had a liquid biopsy were able to make decisions on treatment an average of 16 days earlier than those who had tissue biopsies. Independent analysis of the pilot estimated the test could save the health service up to £11 million a year in lung cancer care. The NHS is exploring how it could be used for other cancers, including pancreatic and gallbladder cancer, officials said. The health service will also test patients with advanced breast cancer who have not responded to treatments for a wider range of genetic variants to see if they are eligible for targeted treatments. It is expected that 5,000 women a year will benefit from the move. Prof Johnson added: 'Cutting-edge genomic testing is helping us deliver more targeted and kinder care for patients, enabling some to avoid more intensive treatments such as further chemotherapy, which can have a huge impact. 'We are already seeing the difference this test can make in lung and breast cancer, and we hope to roll it out for patients with other forms of cancer in the near future. 'As research progresses, it's exciting that this approach has the potential to help us 'scan' the body in a single blood test to see where and how cancer may be developing and target it with speed and precision to help save more lives.' Health Secretary Wes Streeting said the new testing will 'give thousands of people peace of mind'. Professor Dame Sue Hill, chief scientific officer for England, said: 'This represents a real step-change in care for eligible lung and breast cancer patients on the NHS. 'This testing is transforming care and helping clinicians match patients earlier, especially when cancer tissue may not be available with potentially life-extending targeted therapies rapidly and with greater precision. 'This test is a great example of the NHS harnessing the power of genomic technological advances to enable the latest groundbreaking treatment to be delivered to patients.' Rebeca Proctor, 41, from Carlisle, was diagnosed with stage 4 non-small cell lung cancer in January. The results from a liquid biopsy showed she had an ALK genetic mutation, meaning she could start the targeted treatment brigatinib. A tissue biopsy confirmed the mutation around 10 days after her liquid biopsy results. Ms Proctor said: 'When I found out I had stage 4 cancer it felt like I'd been punched in the gut. I was scared – I just thought about my children, and if I would get to see my little girl start nursery, and how I would explain my diagnosis to my children. It was just heart-breaking to think about. 'But the medication has given me my life back and my kids have got their mum back. I'm taking it day-by-day and for now the treatment is doing what it's meant to be doing and shrinking the tumour, and I've got my energy back. 'I know I'm not going to be cured but I've come to terms with my diagnosis and the pills are stopping my cancer cells from spreading. We'll keep fighting this and dealing with what's been thrown at us.'
Telegraph
29-05-2025
- Business
- Telegraph
NHS blood test to ‘revolutionise' cancer treatment
A revolutionary blood test that allows personalised cancer treatment is set to be rolled out on the NHS in a world first. The technique, known as a liquid biopsy, will become the standard test for lung cancer and also be offered to thousands of women with breast disease. Speaking to The Telegraph, Prof Peter Johnson, the national clinical director for cancer at NHS England described it as a 'golden key' to unlock personalised treatment'. In a landmark shift, the rapid tests will be offered to 20,000 patients this year, and could soon expand to cover six types of cancer. Experts said the tests, which detect tumour DNA in the blood, would allow for 'live monitoring' of both disease and treatment, meaning faster diagnoses and fewer side effects. Patients who have had a CT scan showing signs of the disease will be offered the test without having to wait for tissue biopsies. It may also help patients avoid chemotherapy altogether. The advances could also save the NHS money, with an independent economic review suggesting the rollout could save £11 million a year in lung cancer treatment costs. Prof Johnson said the shift would bring a 'new era' of personalised medicine. He told the Telegraph: 'For patients it means that a single blood test can now give us a window into how their cancer may respond to treatment. It means we can better understand the genetic make-up of their disease and use this DNA test like a 'golden key' to unlock personalised treatment, at much greater speed.' Peter Kyle, the Science Secretary, whose mother died from lung cancer, said the announcement had 'profound significance'. He said: 'Imagine a world where most cancers are identified before symptoms even appear – not through invasive procedures or radiation-heavy scans, but through a simple blood draw during a routine check-up. 'This isn't science fiction. It's the near horizon of medical technology, and the UK is helping to lead the way.' Mr Kyle added: 'I often think about what such technology might have meant for my mum and our family. The anxiety it might have spared, the time it could have saved, the different trajectory her treatment might have taken. 'For the thousands of families facing the same devastating diagnosis, this technology can be a game-changer.' Wes Streeting, the Health Secretary, added: 'This incredibly exciting new test could save countless lives, giving thousands of people peace of mind.' The announcement will see the NHS become the first health service in the world to roll-out a 'blood test-first' approach to diagnosing lung cancer. In total, 15,000 patients with suspected lung cancer will be offered the tests, as well as around 5,000 women with advanced breast cancer who are not responding to treatment. They will be offered liquid biopsies to see if they might respond to drugs which can slow or halt the progress of disease. Breast cancer is the most common cancer in England, with around 50,000 women diagnosed every year. Lung cancer remains the biggest killer, with 35,000 deaths annually. Experts said the breakthrough will make a critical difference in cutting the time it takes to diagnose and treat disease. The advances will also allow medics to narrowly focus treatment as specifically as possible, meaning it is 'kinder' on the body, sparing patients from some of the worst side effects. The test, which detects tumour DNA fragments circulating in the blood, allows clinicians to rapidly identify genetic mutations driving cancer, and match patients with therapies tailored to a tumour's genetic profile. Professor Johnson said: 'Liquid biopsies are leading us into a new era of personalised cancer care and it's fantastic that we are now able to expand the use of this revolutionary test on the NHS to help tailor treatment for thousands of patients across the country.' He said the advances could allow medics to deliver 'more targeted and kinder care for patients' sparing some chemotherapy. 'We are already seeing the difference this test can make in lung and breast cancer – and we hope to roll it out for patients with other forms of cancer in the near future,' he said. The senior oncologist added that the approach had still more potential, as it may be able to screen apparently healthy patients for signs of disease. 'It's exciting that this approach has the potential to help us 'scan' the body in a single blood test to see where and how cancer may be developing and target it with speed and precision to help save more lives,' he said. The announcement comes on the eve of the world's largest cancer conference, the American Society of Clinical Oncology's Annual Meeting (ASCO), which is expected to reveal results from a host of trials examining the role of liquid biopsy and precision medicines. Dr Julie Gralow, ASCO chief medical officer, said the method allowed medics to carry out 'live monitoring at a level that is actually much more specific and early than waiting for it to show up on scans'. As well as being used to diagnose patients, it can help to guide treatment, and 'to understand how the tumour is getting around the treatment,' she said. 'This is a cool way of not having to stick needles into wherever the cancer is, but just drawing blood,' she said. 'The benefit of looking in the blood is it shows the most active part of the cancer.' Results from pilot NHS schemes for lung cancer show the approach can fast-track patients to start treatment two weeks earlier and avoid repeated scans, delays and needless toxic therapies. Dr Isaac Garcia-Murillas, from the Molecular Oncology Group at The Institute of Cancer Research, London, said the potential patient benefits and cost savings were 'incredible'. The researcher, who has worked in the field for more than a decade, said that as well as saving patients from tumour biopsies, which can be painful, the test also meant you could detect cancerous cells which would be 'undetectable' on any other test. He said: 'This allows you to detect micro metastases way earlier – potentially a year before you could see it. The whole idea is this tumour is too small to be picked up by imaging. These are cells that are undetectable on other tests.' He said the rollout of liquid biopsy was now 'unstoppable' with other experts saying it would 'transform' cancer care. A pilot scheme in 176 hospitals tested the method in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) – the most common lung cancer. All such patients with stage three and four disease will now be eligible for the tests, under the national rollout. The NHS has just begun offering the tests to around 1,000 women with advanced breast cancer, and will expand this to test for four types of gene mutations – expanding access to targeted treatments. The technology is also being evaluated for four other cancers including pancreatic and gallbladder disease, which are some of the hardest to treat. Ultimately such tests could be offered to all over 40s as part of screening methods to spot disease long before symptoms appear. Experts have said this would be the 'holy grail', with the NHS currently testing such methods in the largest trial in the world. Professor Dame Sue Hill, chief scientific officer for England, said: 'This represents a real step-change in care for eligible lung and breast cancer patients on the NHS.' NHS will be world's first health service to roll out 'blood test-first' approach for lung cancer by Peter Kyle I remember the day my mum was diagnosed with lung cancer. The brutal suddenness of it. The feeling that time had frozen, and the questions about the uncertain journey ahead. I remember the horrible uncertainty of waiting for the results and treatment options – weeks that, for so many families, matter more than words can express. That's why today's announcement holds such profound significance, both professionally as Science and Innovation Secretary, and deeply personally as someone who has lost a loved one to lung cancer. The NHS is about to become the first health service in the world to roll out a revolutionary 'blood test-first' approach for diagnosing suspected lung cancer. This liquid biopsy test can detect minute fragments of tumour DNA circulating in a patient's bloodstream – allowing doctors to identify specific genetic variations and begin targeted treatment up to two weeks faster than traditional methods. For the 40,000 people diagnosed with lung cancer each year in England, this isn't just a medical advancement – it's transformative. Many patients will be spared unnecessary invasive biopsies. Some will avoid chemotherapy altogether. And all will benefit from faster access to the right treatment. The word 'revolutionary' is often overused in technology discussions, but in this case, it's entirely warranted. Precision medicine This simple blood test represents the vanguard of a technological shift in healthcare – one that brings together genomic science, data analytics and artificial intelligence to deliver precision medicine at unprecedented speed. And it is just the latest example of our mission to put the latest technology in the hands of doctors and patients, making our NHS fit for the future through our Plan for Change. Earlier this week, we announced the roll-out of cutting-edge radiography machines in every region, giving better and faster cancer treatment to thousands of patients. And we've already helped tens of thousands of suspected cancer patients get a faster diagnosis, making life-saving interventions. What truly excites me about today's announcement is that this is just the beginning. The technology behind these liquid biopsies points toward a future where routine blood tests could screen for multiple cancers simultaneously, detecting disease at its earliest, most treatable stages. Imagine a world where most cancers are identified before symptoms even appear – not through invasive procedures or radiation-heavy scans, but through a simple blood draw during a routine check-up. UK is helping to lead the way This isn't science fiction. It's the near horizon of medical technology, and the UK is helping to lead the way. I often think about what such technology might have meant for my mum and our family. The anxiety it might have spared, the time it could have saved, the different trajectory her treatment might have taken. For the thousands of families facing the same devastating diagnosis, this technology can be a game-changer. This is why we pursue scientific and technological progress with such determination – because behind every statistic, every clinical trial, every pilot programme, there are real people whose lives hang in the balance. For the thousands diagnosed with lung and breast cancer each year who have felt the disease's devastating impact, this technological advancement offers something beyond medical treatment. It offers hope. And we will continue to deliver that as we bring our health service into the 21st century by making the best possible testing and treatments available to patients on the NHS.
Harvard Business Review
27-05-2025
- Health
- Harvard Business Review
AI Alone Won't Transform U.S. Healthcare
Imagine it's the middle of the night, and your child is seriously ill. You rush to the hospital, bracing for mountains of paperwork, long waits, and an overburdened staff. Instead, you meet a clinician who knows your child's medical history in precise detail. Within minutes, a specialist team evaluates your child and prescribes a personalized treatment plan tailored to her genetics and thousands of similar cases. No guesswork. No redundant testing. The diagnosis is clear, as is the path forward. Artificial intelligence could make this story the new normal. Not since the discovery of antibiotics has medicine faced such transformative potential. But AI alone will not deliver this future without serious structural reforms in the United States. We need to fix the flaws that have broken the current healthcare system. If we don't, AI could amplify the inefficiencies, misaligned incentives, and inequities that pervade healthcare today. With AI evolving at a blinding speed, the window to act is closing—along with the opportunity to ensure AI's benefits reach everyone. At Stanford, where I work, and across the industry, we are already seeing AI's real-world promise. Complex biological processes that once took scientists decades to describe are being illuminated by AI in a matter of months. AI is streamlining clinical trials, helping scientists identify new drug targets, and is even aiding in the development of novel therapeutics. The open question is whether these breakthroughs will translate into meaningful improvements in human health. Turning discoveries into better patient outcomes demands more than technological progress; it will require deep reforms in the U.S. healthcare infrastructure, payment systems, and clinical workflows. Without these changes, even the most promising innovations risk remaining stuck in research labs or limited to only those who can afford them. Avoid a Repeat of the EHR Experience The Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act of 2009, which mandated the adoption of electronic health records (EHR) systems, ushered in the digital age of medicine in the United States. But rather than improving the experience of care, for years, the transition saddled clinicians with overwhelming administrative burdens. Designed largely to satisfy insurers' complex billing requirements, EHRs often neglected the practical needs of doctors and patients. Even as EHRs have improved over time, they remain cumbersome, inefficient, and, in some cases, pose safety risks due to their user-unfriendly interfaces. Studies published in recent years have found that physicians spend a huge amount of their time on tasks related to EHRs, contributing to high burnout rates. We risk repeating this mistake with AI. Already, we see an AI arms race developing between physicians and insurance companies. Insurers are deploying AI tools to scrutinize and often rapidly deny treatment coverage, while physicians counter with AI-driven systems to justify necessary care. This technological tug-of-war doesn't improve care delivery; it merely shifts resources from patient care to battling within the system. To steer AI toward delivering a healthier future, we must pursue three urgent priorities: 1. Revamp incentives. The first step is to confront the incentives that shape healthcare today. Historically, market incentives have profoundly influenced the adoption of technologies, and not always for the greatest good. We must carefully design incentives to promote the outcomes we want and mitigate any adverse effects. AI cannot transform a system built on misaligned incentives. Today, fee-for-service reimbursement remains the dominant payment model in the United States, rewarding the volume of care delivered, not the quality or long-term impact of that care. This model prioritizes billing over clinical impact and continues to discourage interventions that emphasize prevention, early detection, and long-term health improvement. For instance, better management of early-stage diabetes could reduce all-cause mortality in patients by nearly 20%, yet reimbursement structures in the United States often fail to support the necessary long-term interventions. And across the board, tools that enable continuous monitoring, early diagnosis, or personalized treatment planning are often unfunded and underused. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has been steadily advancing the shift toward value-based care —championing models that prioritize health outcomes over volume. While this represents an important step in the right direction, to realize the full potential of these reforms, we must ensure that AI is embedded in the next generation of value-based care strategies. That includes updating billing codes to reflect AI-enabled procedures, expanding coverage for digital diagnostics and remote monitoring tools, and creating reimbursement pathways that reward the use of AI in preventing disease, not just treating it. Legislation like the recently introduced bipartisan Health Tech Investment Act offers a timely and promising framework. The bill proposes expanding reimbursement pathways for digital health technologies, including AI, and enabling their adoption across diverse clinical settings. Structured financial support like this is critical to avoiding a fragmented future where only well-resourced institutions have a role in shaping AI-supported care. AI can also be part of the solution to reimbursement challenges, but it must be approached thoughtfully. By carefully deploying AI to automate processes like eligibility verification, claim submissions, and real-time error detection, we can reduce administrative burdens without exacerbating the tug-of-war between payers and providers. Done well, this could free up time and resources to focus on what matters most: the patient. 2. Embed AI into medical education and training. EHRs fundamentally changed the way healthcare providers work, often in ways that weren't fully anticipated or understood. Studies on EHR rollouts highlighted significant workflow disruptions, unsafe workarounds, and documentation errors, often due to gaps in training and understanding. AI will bring equally profound changes, creating a significant training challenge and cultural shift. In medicine, we contend with a significant 'know-do gap': the lag between when we know something is beneficial and when it is actually adopted in practice. On average, it takes 17 years for new evidence-based practices to become the standard practice in the United States, largely because of a stubborn commitment to entrenched practices and the daunting volume of emerging data that healthcare providers must interpret. Overcoming these barriers requires continuous education and systemic changes to encourage rapid integration and adaptation of new knowledge. Integrating AI into medical education curricula is a critical part of the solution. Future generations of providers must be educated and equipped with the skills and mindset necessary to integrate AI into patient care. Beyond the classroom, health systems must also expand training opportunities and foster a culture of continuous learning to ensure that their healthcare professionals are ready to embrace AI as a tool to enhance what they do best. The opportunities are, indeed, significant. Consider the use of AI-supported tumor boards, which could revolutionize oncology care. Tumor boards are specialized, multidisciplinary teams of healthcare professionals who meet to discuss cancer cases and determine the best treatment plans for patients. AI could enhance how tumor boards assimilate the latest research, patient data, and expert insights, helping close the know-do gap in implementing new cancer treatments. With research grant support, Stanford Medicine is actively exploring this type of AI integration. 3. Engage doctors and patients in AI development and use. Because the development of EHRs largely excluded the voices of doctors and patients, the tools didn't meet their needs. Recent surveys show that 50% of physicians feel EHRs have compromised their clinical effectiveness, and nearly 60% advocate for a complete overhaul of these systems. For AI to avoid this pitfall, physicians and patients must be actively involved in the development, testing, and implementation of AI tools from the beginning. According to an American Medical Association (AMA) survey, 7 8 % of physicians want clear explanations of how AI systems make decisions. Yet, many systems still lack the transparency needed for clinicians to understand and trust AI-generated recommendations—a challenge we cannot afford to overlook. If patients are to trust AI, they, too, need to be engaged. Already, there is concerning evidence of patients growing skeptical of AI. A 2023 Pew Research Center study found that 60% of Americans would feel uncomfortable if their healthcare provider relied on AI for diagnosis and treatment recommendations. To mitigate these risks, AI tools must be developed using diverse data sets that represent a broad range of populations. In addition, involving patients and clinicians in the design and testing phases will ensure that AI tools are equitable, trustworthy, and effective across different demographic groups. In fact, it's the human factor—equipping patients and physicians to use AI to make better care decisions—that will allow for a smoother integration of these tools. As AI systems become more advanced, a critical question is how they should be used in clinical decision-making: as tools to assist physicians or as autonomous agents making decisions independently. At Stanford, we share the view with many others that in the near term AI should be used to support, not replace, clinical judgment. Over time, however, as AI models become more capable and are validated in real-world settings, the line between support and autonomy may blur. This evolution underscores the importance of rigorous, ongoing oversight and regulation. Regulatory frameworks, such as the Food and Drug Administration's approach to monitoring continuously learning algorithms, will need to keep pace with technological change while ensuring safety, transparency, and equity. AI represents a rare opportunity to transform the future of healthcare. But this transformation will not happen automatically. We must act deliberately and learn from past mistakes. By aligning incentives, fostering a culture of continuous learning, and involving all stakeholders, we can ensure that AI delivers a better healthcare system in the United States—one that works for everyone.
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Quantum Technologies Boost Accessibility to Advanced Diagnostics in Underserved Areas
Quantum sensing in healthcare is poised to revolutionize diagnostics, personalized medicine, and drug development. With unmatched sensitivity, these sensors enable earlier disease detection and superior imaging. Their integration with AI boosts real-time data analysis, enhancing patient outcomes while reducing costs. Dublin, May 26, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Emerging Opportunities for Quantum Sensing in Healthcare" report has been added to offering. The opportunities that come with the utilization of quantum sensing technology in healthcare demonstrate significant potential to revolutionize diagnostics, personalized medicine, and drug development. Quantum sensors offer superior sensitivity and precision, enabling earlier disease detection, easier and non-intrusive monitoring, and producing better images than conventional systems. The integration of quantum sensing into AI offers further enhancement in real-time data analysis and predictive modeling for targeted treatment options and further healthcare optimization. The adoption of quantum technologies enhances operational efficiency and overcomes barriers to cost, improving access to advanced diagnostic techniques for underserved communities. This evolution positions quantum sensing as a transformative technology in healthcare, nurturing innovation, clinical integration, and the growth of the sector. The study answers the following questions: How do quantum sensing technologies enhance diagnosis and facilitate the detection of diseases at an early stage compared to traditional methods, particularly in high-resolution imaging? How are quantum sensors being utilized for health monitoring and facilitating the establishment of personalized treatment plans tailored to real-time information, thereby enhancing patient outcomes? What impact might quantum sensing solutions have on cost reduction in healthcare, and what potential benefits could they offer for underserved areas to access advanced diagnostics? What are the emerging trends in quantum sensing applications for healthcare that can be described as wearable devices for real-time monitoring and innovative diagnostic techniques using quantum phenomena? What is the current commercialization status of quantum sensing technologies in healthcare? Who are the leading players and what are the primary market trends and challenges? Key Growth Opportunities include: Integration with AI and Machine Learning Applications in Drug Discovery Improved Medical Imaging Techniques Key Topics Covered: Emerging Opportunities for Quantum Sensing in Healthcare Strategic Imperatives The Strategic Imperative 8 The Impact of the Top 3 Strategic Imperatives on the Emerging Opportunities for Quantum Sensing in Healthcare Growth Opportunities Fuel the Growth Pipeline Engine Growth Opportunity Analysis Scope of Analysis Quantum Sensing: Game Changer for Healthcare Quantum Sensing vs Traditional Medical Diagnostics: A Comparative Analysis Opportunities and Limitations of Quantum Sensing Segmentation Growth Generator Growth Drivers Growth Restraints Emerging Opportunities for Quantum Sensing in Healthcare Overview of Early Disease Detection Overview of Personalized Medicine Overview of Drug Development Innovation Landscape Analysis of Key Players in Quantum Sensing for Healthcare Funding, Partnerships, and Acquisitions Funding Analysis Key Partnerships and Acquisitions Outlook of Quantum Sensing in Healthcare Early Disease Detection - Outlook Personalized Medicine - Outlook Drug Development - Outlook Growth Opportunity Universe for Quantum Sensing in Healthcare Growth Opportunity 1: Integration with AI and Machine Learning Growth Opportunity 2: Applications in Drug Discovery Growth Opportunity 3: Improved Medical Imaging Techniques Next Steps Benefits and Impacts of Growth Opportunities For more information about this report visit About is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends. CONTACT: CONTACT: Laura Wood,Senior Press Manager press@ For E.S.T Office Hours Call 1-917-300-0470 For U.S./ CAN Toll Free Call 1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900
