Tumor-microenvironment based precision anti-cancer therapy

Precision anti-cancer therapy, has remarkably improved response rates over the last decade. However, most of this precision is based on studying genetic, epigenetic or expression changes of the tumor cells only. The tumor microenvironment commonly affects the response to anti-cancer therapy and, just like cancer cells, can be highly variable between patients. Tailoring treatment that integrates both patient-specific cancer cells makeup and patient-specific tumor microenvironment holds the promise to achieve even better response rates and disease control. This approach, which we term Intergrative Percision Therapy (iPT), has not yet reached the clinical practice due to the conceptual and technical challenges in its implementation. In my talk I will present the need for iPT, the major challenges in implementing it and our efforts to develop a new clinically-relevant roadmap for integrating iPT as an inseparable part of the clinical decision making process for cancer patients.