Required Human and System Resources for Genomic Medicine

Abstract

Advances in genomic medicine have enabled the development of precise cancer therapies (precision cancer medicine) through multigene testing. Toward this end, we have developed a novel clinical sequencing system called PleSSision (Pathologist edited, Mitsubishi Space Software supervised clinical sequence system for personalized medicine) that performs amplicon exome sequencing targeting 160 cancer genes. Using this system, we have examined more than 600 cases over 3 years, and have identified druggable gene alteration in approximately 60% of the cases. Performing such clinical sequencing requires management of the sample quality and sequencing by pathologists and laboratory technicians; bioinformatics analysis by biomedical scientists; and patient care by nurses and pharmacists, all based on specific skills and knowledge of genomics. In addition, patients diagnosed with a hereditary cancer syndrome based on clinical sequencing results must receive care from a genetic counselor and a medical doctor with expertise in genetics. Recently, poly(ADP-ribose)polymerase (PARP) inhibitors and immune checkpoint inhibitors have been used in the treatment of patients with hereditary cancer syndromes, so collaboration involving other medical staff, especially genomic pharmacists, is also required. In this session, we provide an overview of cancer genomic medicine and emphasize the role that genomic pharmacists play in cancer precision medicine.