Five things to know about the future of precision oncology
For years, precision oncology, also known as personalized cancer care, has focused on matching treatments to the specific genetic changes driving a patient's cancer.
Certain genes, including EGFR, BRAF, and HER2, can act as cancer's "on switches" when altered, fueling uncontrolled tumor growth. Identifying these mutations can help physicians select targeted therapies designed to block the abnormal signals that allow cancer cells to survive and spread.
But cancer is more complex than its DNA alone.
During a panel discussion at the 2026 World Medical Innovation Forum, moderated by David Ting, MD, scientific director of the Mass General Brigham Cancer Institute; Adam Kay, senior managing director and partner at RA Capital; Sandra McAllister, PhD, an investigator at the Mass General Brigham Cancer Institute; Rahul Aras, CEO of Iterion Therapeutics; and Diarmuid Moran, head of Precision Medicine and Diagnostics at Astellas, explored how precision oncology is expanding beyond genetics to create a more complete understanding of cancer and enable more individualized treatment approaches.
Here are five key takeaways from the discussion about where precision oncology is headed next.
1. Cancer’s toughest targets are finally within reach
Many cancer-driving genetic pathways have been known for decades, but scientists once considered many of them "undruggable," meaning they could not be effectively targeted with medicines.
New insights into cancer biology, along with advances in drug design and treatment technology, are beginning to change that. Researchers can now target biological interactions that were once thought to be out of reach, opening new possibilities for treating cancer.
As Ting noted, "The first era of precision oncology was really largely about identifying those genes, those genetic alterations driving the tumor. And now we're sort of in this new era of precision oncology."
2. Precision medicine is expanding beyond tumor genetics
While genetic alterations can help explain what is driving a cancer's growth and point to potential targeted treatments, they do not fully determine how that cancer will behave.
The experts discussed how factors such as aging, the immune system, and the tumor's surrounding environment can all influence treatment response. Ting highlighted emerging research showing that communication between tumor cells and their surrounding environment may play a key role in determining whether therapies succeed or fail.
Additionally, they highlighted that biomarkers and therapeutic targets can vary significantly with age. These age-related differences are helping researchers uncover new treatment vulnerabilities and identify promising therapeutic strategies.
McAllister emphasized that age itself may be an important and clinically relevant biological factor, noting that tumors with the same mutations can behave very differently in younger and older patients.
McAllister said, "When we talk about precision medicine, I think it's not only asking what the right target is, but what is the right target in this patient?"
3. Smarter biomarkers could help match treatment to the right patient at the right time
The next generation of precision oncology will require more than identifying the right treatment. Researchers also need to understand when to use it.
More dynamic biomarkers and sophisticated diagnostic tools could help track how a tumor changes over time, identify patients most likely to benefit, and guide treatment deployment as the disease evolves.
"As biomarkers have become complex, really looking beyond the tumor has become more complex as well," Ting said, while discussing the importance of tracking biological changes over time.
McAllister added that researchers are learning how "age, immune function, and patient physiology impact the way a tumor tissue responds to a therapy" and stressed the importance of adapting to those changes.
4. Finding cancer earlier could transform outcomes
Panelists frequently referred to the importance of earlier detection and intervention. Many experimental therapies are initially tested in patients with advanced cancers who have already received several treatments. Moving promising therapies earlier in the disease course, when patients may be healthier and tumors more treatable, could create a greater opportunity for meaningful and lasting responses.
"Trials and interventions need to go after the tumors earlier," said Ting. "We need to actually engage with investigational drugs in first line therapies for curative intent."
For clinicians, the ultimate goal is not simply extending survival but helping more patients reach a potential cure.
5. The next big goal in cancer care: Intercepting disease before it takes hold
Beyond treating diagnosed cancers earlier, researchers are also exploring "cancer interception," an emerging idea focused on detecting and stopping cancers before they fully develop in the first place.
Ting noted that as scientists gain a deeper understanding of the earliest biological events that lead to cancer, they may be able to identify high-risk individuals and intervene before disease fully emerges. The concept reflects a broader vision for precision oncology: not just treating cancer more effectively but preventing it altogether.
McAllister pointed to emerging research suggesting that some age-related biological changes may occur before cancer develops, potentially creating new opportunities for prevention and earlier intervention.
“The hope of moving that timeline up a little earlier is there," she said.
Learn more about the 2026 World Medical Innovation Forum
About Mass General Brigham
Mass General Brigham is an integrated academic health care system, uniting great minds to solve the hardest problems in medicine for our communities and the world. Mass General Brigham connects a full continuum of care across a system of academic medical centers, community and specialty hospitals, a health insurance plan, physician networks, community health centers, home care, and long-term care services. Mass General Brigham is a nonprofit organization committed to patient care, research, teaching, and service to the community. In addition, Mass General Brigham is one of the nation’s leading biomedical research organizations with several Harvard Medical School teaching hospitals. For more information, please visit massgeneralbrigham.org.