ESMO Handbook of Targeted Therapies and Precision Oncology
Preface
Precision oncology is a term used to describe novel treatments with much more specific modes of action compared to classic chemotherapy. Starting with imatinib as a breakthrough for the treatment of Philadelphia chromosome-positive chronic myeloid leukaemia, this field, also described as targeted therapy, has evolved enormously.
Developments in genomic testing and of targeted therapies go hand-in-hand. Treatments may consist of small molecule inhibitors targeting receptor tyrosine kinases, or even transcription factors, antibodies, antibody-drug conjugates and cell therapies. Currently, cancers can be classified according to their genomic alterations (translocations, amplifications, mutations, etc), allowing drugs developed for a specific cancer to be ‘repurposed’ and used to treat other cancers sharing the same or a similar alteration. An example is targeting ErbB2 (or human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 [HER2]) overexpression, which was originally found to be an important target in breast cancer. Genomic testing has unveiled HER2 gene amplifications and activating mutations are also present in many other cancers including gastric, colon, lung and bladder cancer, where some of these HER2-targeting drugs appear highly efficacious as well.
This handbook brings together specialists in the field of precision medicine, who have shared their knowledge and insights on this broad topic, providing you with a solid base to understand this field from basic science to clinical application. This book cannot be missing from the desk of any medical professional working in the field of cancer care!
Professor John B.A.G. Haanen, on behalf of the editors
