Paul Scotting and Penny Howard outline the progress made in diagnosis and treatment since the Human Genome Project, and how resources are being targeted
The previous articles in this series focused on the genetics of cancer and cancer risk, and on the issues associated with assessing cancer risk. In this article, the latest and future uses of genetic analysis in assessing individuals’ risk of developing cancer are discussed. The way in which new knowledge, much of it resulting from the complete sequencing of the first full human genome in 2003, is leading to improvements in cancer diagnosis will also be reviewed. Finally, this article looks at how genetic advances are leading to new treatments and to selection of the most appropriate treatment for each patient.
Cancer Nursing Practice. 12, 10, 16-21. doi: 10.7748/cnp2013.12.12.10.16.e1046
Correspondencepaul.scotting@nottingham.ac.uk
Peer reviewThis article has been subject to double blind peer review
Conflict of interestAll fees for this series of articles have been donated to Macmillan nurses
Received: 23 October 2013
Accepted: 11 November 2013
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