Genetic Testing and Its Role in Advancing Oncology Treatments: Insights from Dr Thangarajan Rajkumar

In this video, Dr Thangarajan Rajkumar, Director of Research Oncology at MedGenome, delves into the future of medicine, particularly focusing on the role of genetic testing in oncology.

He begins by explaining the fundamentals of genetic testing, which involves analyzing DNA to detect mutations that may lead to diseases such as cancer. Genetic testing examines the sequence of four DNA nucleotides—A, C, G, and T—that form the genetic code.

This code, made up of 3 billion letters, holds the information essential for identifying disease-causing mutations. Dr. Rajkumar highlights three primary applications of genetic testing in oncology.

Firstly, it helps assess whether a person with cancer, such as breast cancer, carries genetic mutations that can be passed on to future generations. This crucial information allows doctors to take preventive measures and provide tailored advice to patients and their families. Secondly, genetic testing plays a key role in guiding treatment strategies for tumors.

By identifying specific mutations in a patient’s tumor, oncologists can select personalized therapies like chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and immunotherapy that target those mutations. One significant advancement discussed is the concept of tumor mutational burden (TMB), which assesses the number of mutations present in a tumor.

This information helps determine whether a patient may benefit from immunotherapy, particularly immune checkpoint inhibitors. Dr. Rajkumar emphasizes that genetic testing allows for more precise and effective treatment decisions, improving patient outcomes.

Additionally, genetic testing enables better patient monitoring. Dr. Rajkumar explains how cell-free DNA, collected from blood samples, can be analyzed to detect mutations from the original tumor.

This non-invasive method serves as a valuable tool for tracking the progress of the disease and adjusting treatment strategies accordingly, ensuring comprehensive cancer care for patients.