Precision oncology is cancer care that uses tumor biology, biomarkers, and clinical context to match patients with more targeted treatment options.

Precision oncology considers cancer type and stage together with biomarkers, genomic alterations, protein expression, pathology, imaging, treatment history, and the patient’s clinical condition to help guide treatment options.

Why It Matters

Precision oncology matters because two people with the same cancer type may need different treatment plans. The National Cancer Institute explains that biomarker testing can change a person’s cancer that may help clinicians choose treatment, including targeted therapy, immunotherapy, or clinical trial options.

Depending on cancer type, stage, test panel, and the definition of actionability, approximately 25% to 30% of patients may have a genomic alteration that could affect treatment or clinical trial eligibility.

For employers and health plans, the issue is whether employees can access the right testing, receive expert interpretation, and connect the results to treatment decisions before time-sensitive care windows are missed. Without that clinical interpretation, testing alone may not change what happens next.

How Precision Oncology Works

Precision oncology typically includes several connected steps:

• Clinical review: The care team reviews the diagnosis, cancer type, stage, pathology, imaging, prior treatment, symptoms, and goals of care.

• Biomarker or genomic testing: A tumor sample, blood sample, or both may be tested for cancer-related biomarkers, genomic alterations, protein expression, or other features.

• Expert review and interpretation: Oncology clinicians determine whether a finding is clinically meaningful, whether it affects prognosis, and whether it points to a targeted therapy, immunotherapy, clinical trial, or standard treatment.

• Treatment decision support: Results are used alongside guidelines, patient preferences, comorbidities, treatment history, and access considerations.

• Ongoing reassessment: Biomarkers and treatment options can change as cancer progresses or recurs, so precision oncology may require repeat review over time.

Precision oncology is not just ordering a test. The most important step is expert clinical review and interpretation, because not every mutation is actionable, and not every actionable finding leads to the same care decision.

Precision Oncology in the Context of Employee Benefits

Employers may encounter precision oncology through cancer benefits, expert medical opinion, genomic testing, health plan programs, or oncology centers of excellence. A strong benefit should help employees access appropriate biomarker testing, understand results, and receive oncology-led guidance on what those results mean for treatment.

Color's oncologists review pathology, imaging, biomarkers, genomic findings, prior treatment, symptoms, and comorbidities together. They can recommend or initiate additional testing, present complex cases to a multidisciplinary tumor board, identify trials, and work peer-to-peer with the treating oncologist on the treatment plan.

Key Takeaways

• Precision oncology uses tumor biology, biomarkers, genomics, and clinical context to guide more individualized cancer care.

• It can help identify targeted therapies, immunotherapies, clinical trials, or reasons to avoid treatments unlikely to work.

• Color pairs biomarker and genomic data with oncologist interpretation, multidisciplinary tumor board review, clinical trial evaluation, and direct follow-through on additional testing or treatment questions.

Related Terms
See also: AI in Oncology, Oncology-Led Care, Expert Medical Opinion

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Is precision oncology the same as genetic testing?
A: No. Genetic testing is one tool used in precision oncology, but precision oncology is broader. It may include tumor biomarker testing, genomic profiling, pathology, imaging, treatment history, symptoms, and the clinical judgment needed to connect results to care decisions.

Q: How does precision oncology change treatment decisions?
A: Precision oncology can help clinicians identify whether a patient may benefit from a targeted therapy, immunotherapy, clinical trial, or a different standard treatment pathway. It can also help avoid treatments that are unlikely to work because a tumor lacks the relevant biomarker or has a resistance marker.

Q: What should employers look for to ensure employees have access to precision oncology?
A: Employers should look for appropriate biomarker testing, subspecialty interpretation, multidisciplinary tumor board review, clinical trial evaluation, and a clinical team that can act on missing tests or unresolved findings. Testing alone is not precision oncology.

Learn how Color supports employers with oncology-led precision cancer care.