Precision Medicine

• Individualized care. Your treatment plan is designed just for you, based on your tumor profile.
• Access to advanced treatments. Your tumor profile may help you learn if you qualify for clinical trials of the newest cancer treatments.
• Extended survival rates. Studies have shown that Precision Medicine can extend the survival of people with cancer.
• Fewer side effects. Precision Medicine can offer fewer side effects and help you avoid unnecessary treatments.
• Discovery of genetic abnormalities. Precision Medicine is a good option for metastatic cancer — cancer that has spread from its original location — because abnormalities in your genes and DNA are more likely to be found. Genetic markers also may help us understand if you will respond better to traditional treatment options.
• Incorporates your personal preferences. Your individual preferences are considered to further specialize your treatment plan.
• Data can help other people. Your tumor profile may help us understand how best to treat other patients as well.

For patients at Henry Ford Cancer, we’ve designed a highly personalized experience that we call the “cancer care pathway.” A nurse navigator helps you every step of the way, from diagnosis to treatment through survivorship.

1. You and your care team will discuss if you could benefit from Precision Medicine and be eligible for targeted therapy.
2. If you choose to proceed, testing of a small sample of your tumor will be performed by the Henry Ford Center for Precision Diagnostics.
3. Your information is discussed by Precision Medicine experts at our molecular tumor board. We look at real-world results for patients with a similar tumor profile using a national data network. This can help identify treatments or clinical trials that are more likely to work, and help you avoid unnecessary treatments and their side effects. 
4. Recommendations are discussed with experts on one of our 15 disease specific tumor boards. 
5. Your care team works together to design the best treatment plan for you.
6. Your response to treatment is tracked to see what works best — for current and future treatments. Some cancers don’t have targeted therapies yet, but Precision Medicine is ever evolving.
7. We counsel you along the way throughout the course of your treatment.

Henry Ford Cancer brings together clinical oncology, research (clinical trials and epidemiologic studies), IT analytics, a molecular tumor board, and the Henry Ford Center for Precision Diagnostics into a program that wholly encompasses all aspects of Precision Medicine. 

Center for Precision Diagnostics

The Henry Ford Center for Precision Diagnostics is nationally renowned and the only comprehensive genomics testing laboratory in Michigan. The center includes board-certified molecular pathologists and PhD scientists specializing in molecular genetics and cytogenomics.

Molecular Tumor Board

Our Molecular Tumor Board is comprised of an expert team of medical, radiation and surgical oncologists, molecular pathologists, geneticists, and bioinformatics and clinical trials experts. This team analyzes molecular diagnostic results and explores specific biologic drugs or clinical trials to determine the right match. Their treatment recommendations are shared with the referring physician and one of our 16 disease-specific tumor boards to provide advanced precision medicine support across the continuum of care. Our recommendations are powered by partners that share aggregated cancer genomics data through an advanced software platform, rapidly bringing insight into the treatment options that will offer the best results for your tumor profile.