Des Moines, Iowa – Today marks the start of Precision Medicine Action Week, a statewide campaign led by the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) and the Iowa Biotechnology Association to highlight the ways personalized health care has revolutionized how diseases are diagnosed and treated. As part of these efforts, the House of Representatives of the State of Iowa issued a resolution designating March of each year as Precision Medicine and Biomarker Testing Awareness Month.
Dubbed ‘the right treatment, to the right patient, at the right time,’ precision medicine has played a critical role in improving cancer outcomes. For example, patients with certain types of lung cancer who received biomarker testing had a 28% reduction in mortality. But in order to determine if a patient will benefit from certain targeted therapies, doctors must test for specific biomarkers – such as gene mutations – found in blood, tissues or other bodily fluids that provide insight into physiological processes, medical conditions or disease.
“If I had been able to access biomarker testing and targeted therapies, I may have been able to avoid some of the side effects and complications of harsh radiation and chemotherapy treatments as well as corollary complications. I believe every Iowan should have access to treatment tailored to their specific disease and that can help reduce the physical and emotional burdens of treatment while improving their chance of survival,” said Linda Webner, a two-time cancer survivor and ACS CAN’s State Lead Ambassador.
Despite its benefits, access to biomarker testing has not kept pace with the rate of innovation due to several factors including low awareness of new testing methodologies among providers and patients, and lack of coverage by private health insurance and Medicaid programs.
“Precision medicine and biomarker testing can lead to improved patient survival and quality of life,” said Rep. Ann Meyer. “We must work to ensure all Iowans who could benefit have access to these promising therapies and tests. Raising awareness is the first step towards that goal.”
For more information on precision medicine, cancer biomarkers, current barriers to biomarker testing and ACS CAN’s policy recommendations, visit: www.fightcancer.org/biomarkers.