A few days ago I read a fascinating article titled “Is cancer outwitting personalized medicine?” It’s a “must-read”: http://goo.gl/Ityrk

And then this morning I watched a short “Patient Power” video (February 21, 2012) on personalized treatment, side effects, myeloma heterogeneity and patient subgroups, cytogenetic abnormalities, high-risk disease, possibility of high risk genes/features, gene expression profiling on myeloma cells and much more: http://goo.gl/ygz7S

I have to admit I’ve always been a bit doubtful about personalized treatments. It’s not as though cancer cells just sit there and do nothing. No, they are constantly evolving and mutating and adapting…in response to their environment and also to treatments. However, as Dr. Noopur Raje said in the above-mentioned “Patient Power” video, myeloma cells are slow-growing, which might be a point in our favor. 

Speaking of the future, she also said that 4-5 years from now we may have the so-called genetic “signature.” But I have to ask: given the countless variables, how will that ever be possible? Will personalized medicine ever become a reality?

Food for thought.