How Comparative Effectiveness Research Can Help Advance ‘Personalized Medicine’ In Cancer Treatment

The use of biomarkers to "personalize" cancer treatment-identifying discrete genes, proteins, or other indicators that can differentiate one type of cancer from another and enable the use of highly tailored therapies-offers tremendous potential for improved outcomes and lower treatment cos...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Health Affairs 2011-12, Vol.30 (12), p.2259-2268
Main Authors: Ramsey, Scott D., Veenstra, David, Tunis, Sean R., Garrison, Louis, Crowley, John J., Baker, Laurence H.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Antigens
Biomarkers
Breast cancer
Cancer
Cancer therapies
Clinical medicine
Clinical trials
Comparative analysis
Cost analysis
Disease
Effectiveness studies
FDA approval
Laboratories
Mammography
Medical research
Medical treatment
Medicare
Oncology
Patients
Precision medicine
Quality of life
Regulatory approval
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Summary:The use of biomarkers to "personalize" cancer treatment-identifying discrete genes, proteins, or other indicators that can differentiate one type of cancer from another and enable the use of highly tailored therapies-offers tremendous potential for improved outcomes and lower treatment costs. However, the rapid development of cancer biomarker, or genomic, tests-combined with a paucity of evidence to support the effectiveness of the tests-presents a challenge for patients, clinicians, and other stakeholders. In this article we propose that comparative effectiveness research be used to strengthen what is now a haphazard process for developing and marketing cancer biomarker tests. We suggest novel funding approaches and a systematic process for moving from regulatory approval to the generation of evidence that meets the needs of stakeholders and, ultimately, patients. [PUBLICATION ABSTRACT]
ISSN:0278-2715
1544-5208
DOI:10.1377/hlthaff.2010.0637