Beyond the Stethoscope: Your Doctor's New Genetic Tools

When physicians are given the tools to evaluate a patient's genetic make-up, they will be able to make more accurate diagnoses, and prescribe more efficient drug therapies with fewer adverse side effects.

Differences between people extend beyond our outer physical features. How individuals respond to drugs for the treatment of cancer or other illnesses differs based on the activity and function of enzymes in the body. This information is available in each individual's genetic profile. Even today, genetics is being integrated into individuals' medical treatment plans. In this presentation, explore how information from a young girl's genetic profile is used to determine the safest anti-cancer drug treatment strategy.

Open full size
NCRR/SEPA

Supported by a Science Education Partnership Award (SEPA) [No. 1 R25 RR16291-01] from the National Center for Research Resources, a component of the National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services. The contents provided here are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of NCRR or NIH.
Drugs that make you sick before making you better.

Historically, most chemotherapy treatments were crude and targeted the destruction of any rapidly dividing cells in the body, not just cancer cells. Because of this, patients who receive chemotherapy suffer from a variety of side effects. For example, patients may experience nausea due to the destruction of healthy cells lining the gut.

Stomach lining

Other common side effects include hair loss and fatigue. Chemotherapy is still in use today, but fortunately more targeted treatments are becoming available or are in development.