Ep121: Precision oncology explained

The genomic understanding of cancer has transformed a tissue-based classification model that had been dominant for 150 years or more. The last three decades have seen highly targeted therapies developed at blistering pace, and unprecedented improvements in patient outcomes. 

To date, these advances have been focused on more common cancers. The financing model for drug development means that rare cancers get overlooked, given the small pool of potential buyers relative to the costs and risks of investment. 

However, the molecular targets characterised in more common cancers are often found in cancers of a different histotype. As such, precision therapies will sometimes have tissue-agnostic efficacy and offer a lifeline for patients with neglected diseases or cancers of unknown origin. 

Professor David Thomas has founded an NGO called Omico to enable such patients to undergo profiling for hundreds of potential molecular targets. In this interview he explains the rationale for the most promising pan cancer therapies, and in the next episode we discuss changes to the regulatory and funding model required to sustain this screening program. 

Guest
Prof David Thomas FRACP PhD (Director, Centre for Molecular Oncology UNSW; Founder and Chief of Science, Omico)

Professor Thomas or Omico have received grants, consultancies or research support from Roche, Astra Zeneca, Pfizer, Eisai, Illumina, Beigene , Elevation Oncology, RedX Pharmaceuticals, SunPharma , Bayer, George Clinical, Novotech , Merck Sharpe and Dohme, Boehringer Ingelheim, Hummingbird, Microba , BioTessellate , PMV Pharma, Australian Unity and Foundation Medicine.

Production
Produced by Mic Cavazzini DPhil. Music licenced from Epidemic Sound includes ‘the Orchard’ by Jakob Ahlbom; ‘Dusty Electronics’ and ‘Pulse Voyage’ by Chill Cole; ‘Tam’ by LJ Kruzer. ‘See you soon’ and ‘Going Undercover’ by Borrtex provided courtesy of FreeMusicArchive. Image by filo licenced through Getty Images.

Editorial feedback was kindly provided by RACP physicians Nichola Ball, Stephen Bacchi, Aafreen Khalid, Simeon Wong, Maansi Arora and Aidan Tan.

Please visit the Pomegranate Health web page for a transcript and supporting references.Login to MyCPD to record listening and reading as a prefilled learning activity. Subscribe to new episode email alerts or search for ‘Pomegranate Health’ in Apple Podcasts, Spotify,Castbox or any podcasting app.