In recent years, there has been great progress in the areas of genetics and molecular analysis of patients' tumors to promote the accuracy of their diagnosis, prognosis and treatment. One of the fields that has benefited from the advances is that of Medical Oncology.
Recently, the Catalan Health Service has included within the Precision Oncology Program (POP) at Parc Taulí as a reference center for the Vallès Occidental. This is a multidisciplinary program that focuses on the analysis of genetic and molecular characteristics of each tumor to provide a better response to specific targeted treatments.
Precision oncology is divided into four areas of molecular alteration. They are applied to solid tumors -such as lung, colon, breast and ovarian cancer-, hematological tumors -such as leukemia, lymphoma or myeloma-, pediatric tumors and tumors with a hereditary predisposition.
"The program seeks to learn more exhaustively about the characteristics of the oncological patient's tumor throughout its entire evolution in order to carry out personalized treatment. This allows a greater probability of success and improvement in its prognosis", explains Dr. Laia Vilà, a specialist in pulmonary oncology.
Molecular analysis, an area of expertise at Parc Taulí
Since 2018, Parc Taulí has had the Molecular Tumor Committee, which brings together professionals from the specialties of Pathological Anatomy, Molecular Biology, Medical Oncology and Genomic Medicine in order to determine specific treatments for oncological patients. Over the years, 1.000 patients oncologists have been able to benefit from the care work carried out by the Committee coordinated by Mr. Rubén Carrera, molecular biologist from the Pathological Anatomy Service.
“The consolidation of our assistance based on genetic analysis in the field of oncology is a reflection of excellence as a Service”, explains Dr. Miguel Ángel Seguí, director of the Oncology Service.
Among the different specific treatments based on the study of biomarkers in cancer, the following stand out: targeted therapies, a type of treatment that acts on a therapeutic target in cancer cells and affects their proliferation, and immunotherapy, which regulates the immune response to fight cancer.
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