THE ROLE OF MEDICAL LABORATORIES IN ADVANCING PRECISION MEDICINE
Abstract
Medical laboratories are commonly viewed only as places that run tests on blood and other patient samples. However, they are at the very heart of the evolution of precision medicine, where the treatment of individual patients is not considered a one-size-fits-all approach, but rather tailored based on an understanding of their unique characteristics. Integrated technology, data analysis, and laboratory practices work together to personalize healthcare, with patients increasingly becoming partners in their own health (F. Nassar et al., 2020). Medical laboratories, often in conjunction with research laboratories, are at the forefront of advancing precision medicine through the development of cutting-edge diagnostic techniques that determine how patients are treated. This essay will explore the role of medical laboratories in the evolution of precision medicine.
Most of the healthcare literature discusses precision medicine from a clinical viewpoint, focusing on how new treatments are developed or how they are rolled out in a hospital or community-based setting. In laboratory medicine, the emphasis has largely been on the analysis of big data, with genomics and other data-rich laboratory techniques discussed in the context of patient care (Strain & H. Ravalico, 2021). While these aspects are relevant, this essay aims to highlight the discipline of laboratory medicine through an examination of care pathways within a single area of disease – cancer. According to the World Health Organization, cancer is set to become the leading cause of death globally by 2025, with deaths increasing from eight to 11 million. In 2020, there were 19.3 million new cancer cases worldwide and 9.9 million cancer deaths. The escalating burden of cancer will place huge strains on already overburdened healthcare systems. However, innovative laboratory-led and clinical co-created pathways have the potential to improve prevention, diagnosis, and treatment. Ultimately, this essay will examine the laboratory medicine principles of precision medicine through real-world examples underpinned by a discussion of how laboratories, clinicians, and technology providers develop critical relationships.
