Cancer care: the growing importance of personalised medicine

Advances in personalised medicine in the NHS continue to have significant implications for cancer nurses, but many report a lack of knowledge of genomics

The term ‘personalised medicine’ is becoming more commonplace. Just weeks ago, NHS England announced that thousands of people with cancer in England are set to gain fast-tracked access to trials of personalised cancer vaccines.

The newly launched NHS trial ‘matchmaking’ service – the Cancer Vaccine Launch Pad – will help find new life-saving treatments for people. NHS England and Genomics England hope to provide up to 10,000 patients with personalised cancer treatments in the UK by 2030.

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Personalised messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) cancer vaccines are a form of immunotherapy treatment, which are currently being tested in clinical trials. They are tailored to each person’s cancer and work by training the immune system to recognise, destroy and prevent the spread of cancer cells.

An online survey reveals that many nurses need to improve their knowledge of genomics

Such advances in genomic medicine in the NHS have had significant implications for cancer nursing. Our evidence & practice article, Cancer genomics: assessing nurses’ knowledge, confidence and training needs, reveals the findings of an online survey of 199 cancer nurses to assess their level of practice-based knowledge of genomics.

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Respondents reported low confidence in making decisions involving genomics. Only 27% had ordered a genetic or genomic test and only 39% had contacted their clinical genetics team in the past 12 months. Overall, most respondents reported a need to improve their knowledge of genomics.

‘With the NHS embedding genomics into diagnostic pathways and routine care, cancer nurses will need an enhanced understanding of personalised medicine and greater knowledge of the support needs of people who undergo genetic testing’

In our continuing professional development article, Supporting patients undergoing genomic testing for Lynch syndrome as part of their diagnostic cancer pathway, Siobhan John, Lynch nurse facilitator for the NHS South West Genomic Medicine Service Alliance at the Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation Trust, focuses on Lynch syndrome – an inherited condition that increases the risk of developing certain cancers – and explains the genetics, testing, surveillance and psychological aspects of care for patients and families affected by this syndrome.

Her article aims to equip nurses with skills to start essential genomic conversations with patients to support them through their cancer pathways.

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With the NHS embedding genomics into diagnostic pathways and routine care, cancer nurses will need an enhanced understanding of personalised medicine and greater knowledge to be able to fully support people who undergo genetic testing.

Jennifer Sprinks is editor of Cancer Nursing Practice and co-editor of Nursing Management