The promise of personalized medicine

Abstract

Until now we have approached cancer treatment from a histological point of view, fighting tumors with indifferent cytotoxic drugs. Personalized medicine promises a much needed change to this out-dated treatment approach. Here I review both the promises and obstacles of targeted therapeutics’ development. Extra attention is put on the financial viability of personalized medicine. By modeling the development costs and revenue possibilities I describe how this approach can be cost-effective to pharmaceutical companies and other parties involved. The individualization of cancer treatment will greatly improve prognosis saving patients the detrimental effects of systemic cytotoxic treatment and relieving some pressure of the great socio-economic burden that cancer puts on our society.