Personalised approach to care

Personalised approach to care 

There is currently only limited effort being made to personalise care for myeloma patients. There are multiple drugs available, of which best use will be dependent on the precise molecular diagnosis of the disease and risk stratification in each patient; yet, currently, a blanket treatment is applied to all myeloma patients.

There are existing tools that can be adopted, such as immune profiling and minimal residual disease (MRD) assessments using for example flow cytometry or DNA sequencing methods, which will better detect and diagnose levels of disease, and therefore inform both treatment duration and treatment switch options.

A detailed atlas of genomic information is now available on thousands of myeloma patients through the Myeloma Genome Project (MGP). This information and these tools can be used to develop personalised care through the efficient use of medications, which will reduce costs and side- effects, and lead to better treatment success. OTMC is well placed to facilitate a model for personalised care, through partnerships with clinical and translational organisations within the University of Oxford and externally.