DNA-matched cancer treatment could increase survival rates as much as 6-fold

HOUSTON, Texas -- A new way of treating cancer that involves individual DNA sequencing could change survival rates, according to a new study.

Researchers at the University of Texas' MD Anderson Cancer Center said they think individually matching your cancer treatment to a DNA sequencing, rather than the location of the cancer, could not only change the treatment type chosen, but it could also lead to a survival rate of that increases as much as six-fold.

The study was presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology.

The results are being hailed as the biggest cancer breakthrough since chemotherapy.

New treatments involve the individual analysis of DNA from a tumor that would let doctors individualize the particular cancer treatment because of the cancer's DNA, rather than commonly relying on the treatment based on the site location of the cancer, such as breast cancer, prostate cancer or lung cancer.

One University of Texas researcher, Apostolia Maria Tsimberidou, said this "next-generation" sequencing should become a common method to fight cancer.

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