Dr. Pier Paolo Claudio presents on functional precision medicine at AACR conference

Dr. Pier Paolo Claudio, professor in the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology and member of the Cancer Center and Research Institute, recently presented at the American Association for Cancer Research conference in Boston, Massachusetts. The conference, titled Functional and Genomic Precision Medicine in Cancer: Different Perspectives, Common Goals, brought together experts from around the world to discuss advancements in personalized cancer treatment.

Claudio’s presentation titled, “Using Cancer Stem Cells to Advance Functional Medicine in the Era of Precision Oncology,” focused on ChemoID, which is a functional precision medicine assay he developed. His presentation outlined two clinical trials that demonstrated the clinical validity and effectiveness of using cancer stem cells to predict chemotherapy response in cancer patients based on their own tumors. The results showed that ChemoID significantly improved outcomes for patients with recurrent glioblastoma and platinum-resistant ovarian cancer, which are two of the most challenging cancers to treat.

“ChemoID exemplifies the power of functional precision medicine, moving beyond a one-size-fits-all approach to customize cancer treatments based on the unique response of each tumor to therapy,” Claudio said. “By leveraging insights from testing chemotherapies on a patient's own tumor before treatment, we can transform precision medicine into a powerful tool that maximizes treatment efficacy while minimizing harm. This (maximized treatment efficacy) brings us closer to a future where cancer care is as personalized as the individuals it aims to heal.”