Ulm at the top: Personalized medicine in the fight against cancer
Ulm at the top: Personalized medicine in the fight against cancer
In Ulm, personalized medicine is redefined and is regarded as a hope for many cancer patients. An alarming number shakes the positive developments: Professor Dr. Thomas Seufferlein, spokesman for the Center for Personalized Medicine at the Ulm University Hospital, explains that about 75 percent of the patients do not benefit from the therapies or medication on offer. In the middle of this sobering reality, however, there are significant progress in the individual treatment of cancer that promotes the doctors in Ulm.
This week, State Secretary Ute Leidig met with those responsible for the center to discuss the topic of financing. While the health insurance companies often cover the costs of personalized medicine and the state provides financial support, there is still considerable financing requirements of several million euros. In particular, three million euros are planned for data storage and necessary IT equipment. "We no longer speak of terabyte, but already of petabytes of data," says Seufferlein and emphasizes the urgency of further financial support from the federal and state governments.
New therapies and challenges
Personalized medicine aims to tailor therapies individually on the patient. This is particularly important for people who have already had numerous unsuccessful treatments. The method has proven to be particularly advantageous, especially with rare tumor diseases. Seufferlein underlines: "We analyze the tumor molecular genetic to use targeted medication." These measures not only lead to more precise diagnoses, but also to lower side effects for the patients.
Nevertheless, there are also dark sides of personalized medicine. These treatments are time and costly for each individual patient. Sometimes they require the use of medication outside of their official approvals, a process that is known in technical terms as an "off-label -use".
Decision processes and areas of application
A crucial aspect of personalized medicine in Ulm is the interdisciplinary tumor board, which consists of experts from various disciplines. This group decides which patients are suitable for personalized therapy. Unfortunately, only one of ten patients is selected on average for such therapy. Dr. Verena Gaidzik, the deputy spokeswoman for the center, explains: "Usually, medication A is only used for lung cancer. However, if the same gene change is also determined in a patient with a magentum tumor, we still try to apply for this drug."
Personalized medicine is primarily used for breast cancer, lung tumors and brain tumors, where the individual differences in the diseases are decisive for the therapy approach. Doctors strive to obtain a comprehensive picture of the patient's medical history and genes in order to be able to offer optimally tailored treatments. However, a comprehensive use of this method seems to be realizable due to the high effort and the associated costs.
Ulm and Baden-Württemberg position themselves as a pioneer in this area. The Ulm University Hospital works closely with clinics in Heidelberg, Freiburg and Tübingen to develop innovative forms of treatment. The pioneering work in personalized medicine could not only benefit the patient in the region, but also serve as a model for other federal states.
A promising way to the future
The progress in personalized medicine and the development of new therapies show promising approaches in the fight against cancer. Despite the challenges, especially in financial terms, the use of individualized treatments could in future help to significantly improve the chances of recovery for many patients. Developments in Ulm are not only a ray of hope, but could also result in far -reaching changes in the medical approach to the treatment of cancer.
research and development in personalized medicine
Research in personalized medicine has made considerable progress in recent years. In Germany, several projects and studies have contributed to deepening the understanding of cancer and their treatment. Special attention is paid to current clinical studies that examine various approaches to identify biomarkers. These biomarkers are crucial for the selection of suitable therapy and can help to predict the effectiveness of treatments.
An example of important research in this area is the "National Decade Against Cancer", a program initiated by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) that aims to promote innovative research approaches in cancer research. This initiative also includes promoting interdisciplinary cooperation between research institutions, universities and clinics in Germany to increase the chances of success for patients
economic aspects of personalized medicine
The economic challenges of personalized medicine are complex. While the development of new therapies and medication requires high investments, the reimbursement of costs of the health insurance companies is often in question. The most expensive therapies, especially those developed in research projects, are often not immediately economically viable. Studies have shown that the amount of the therapy costs also exerts a not inconsiderable pressure on the health system.
According to the AOK (WIDO) scientific institute, the costs for oncology have increased steadily in recent years. In 2020, expenditure for oncological medicines in Germany had increased to around 19 billion euros alone. The insight is that innovative, personalized therapies can be expensive, but often also increase the quality of life of the patient noticeably and thus can bring long -term cost savings through fewer hospital stays and treatments.
patient perspective and individual experiences
The personal perspective of patients is an important aspect of the discussion about personalized medicine. Many patients report mixed experiences when it comes to new, personalized therapies. While some patients report significant improvements, others question the effectiveness of the treatments. A particularly moving example is the experience of patients who suffer from rare cancer and are often disappointed with the standardized treatment methods.
In surveys it can be seen that many patients want a greater involvement in the decision-making process, especially when it comes to innovative therapies. The targeted communication between doctors and patients therefore plays a crucial role in strengthening trust and promoting new therapy approaches.
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