The time to do genetic testing generally needs to refer to what disease stage the patient is in. Surgical resection is the main treatment for early lung cancer. When doctors judge that advanced lung cancer can be considered for targeted therapy, they need to do genetic testing first to judge the patient's gene mutation and target, so as to choose the appropriate targeted drugs. This is the correct process of standardized targeted therapy.
Targeted drugs are only effective for lung cancer patients with special gene mutations. It's like a key (targeted drug) corresponding to a lock (genetic mutation). Only when you know what lock it is can you choose a matching key. Using the wrong targeted drugs is likely to be ineffective, and it will delay the standardized treatment time, leading to the progress of the disease, which is not worth the candle. Genetic testing is like GPS navigation. After accurately finding the mutation point, helping doctors to formulate the best treatment plan can also enable patients to obtain clinical results economically and quickly.
Genetic testing contributes to the accuracy of targeted therapy.
In recent years, more and more attention has been paid to the standardization, personalization and accuracy of tumor treatment. With the rapid development of molecular targeted therapy, the diagnosis and treatment of cancer has entered the era of "precision medicine". Genetic testing can help cancer patients take corresponding targeted drugs after determining the target, avoid unnecessary drug waste and adverse drug reactions, treat accurately and improve the treatment effect.
Take lung cancer, the largest cancer in China, as an example. Non-small cell lung cancer accounts for about 85% of the total lung cancer. In China, about 30%-40% of patients with non-small cell lung cancer will have EGFR gene mutation, while in Europe and America, the proportion is only 10%. Therefore, EGFR mutation is often called "God's gift to China" by doctors. With EGFR mutation, it means that you can take the corresponding targeted drugs, the effective rate is as high as 60%-70%, and the side effects are small.
At present, the first generation, second generation and third generation targeted drugs for EGFR mutation have been applied in clinic. At present, the most widely used EGFR targeting drug is the original targeted drug gefitinib produced by AstraZeneca, which has been in China for 15 years. The so-called original drug refers to the first new drug originally developed. After more than ten years of screening and clinical trials of thousands of compounds, it was successfully developed and approved for listing. Compared with the original drug, generic drugs refer to drugs manufactured by other companies after the original drug has passed the patent protection period. Therefore, patients with non-small cell lung cancer should be tested for EGFR gene to clarify the mutation state and guide the next precise treatment plan.