The Cancer Advisor

Combining repurposed drugs with precision oncology—targeted therapies or immunotherapies—holds transformative potential by exploiting synergistic effects to improve efficacy, overcome resistance, and expand treatment options for rare and complex cancers. Synergistic Mechanisms and Rationale Multi-pathway targeting:  Cancer’s genetic heterogeneity and signaling complexity often render single-agent targeted therapies insufficient. Repurposed drugs, many originally developed for non-oncologic indications, can complement targeted agents by hitting additional pathways or tumor microenvironment factors, reducing resistance and enhancing tumor control. Low toxicity enabling combinations:  Repurposed drugs typically have well-characterized safety profiles and lower toxicity, allowing their use in complex multi-drug regimens that target several oncogenic pathways simultaneously without excessive side effects. This multi-pronged approach can improve outcomes in cancers with limited opti...

The Shift to Personalized Cancer Care Precision medicine, powered by advances in genomics, is revolutionizing how cancer is diagnosed, treated, and even prevented. Unlike the traditional “one-size-fits-all” approach, precision medicine tailors prevention and treatment strategies to each person’s unique genetic makeup, environment, and lifestyle. This shift is leading to more effective therapies, fewer side effects, and earlier interventions ( 1 ,  2 ,  3 ). Key Innovations Driving Change Comprehensive Tumor Profiling:  Oncologists now routinely order detailed genetic analyses of tumors, identifying specific mutations that drive cancer growth. This allows for highly targeted therapies that are more likely to be effective for each individual patient 1 4 2 . Targeted Therapies:  Drugs are developed to target specific genetic mutations or proteins found in cancer cells. For example, HER2-targeted therapies (like trastuzumab and tucatinib) have transformed breast cancer c...