Abstract IA036: Using cancer stem cells to advance functional medicine in the era of precision oncology

Abstract Functional precision medicine (FPM) is a new approach in oncology that uses advanced technologies to personalize anticancer treatments based on the dynamic, functional characteristics of a patient's cancer at the molecular and cellular levels. Unlike traditional precision medicine, which often focuses on genomic information alone, FPM emphasizes the use of functional assays, such as cellular response profiling, to assess how a patient’s cancer reacts to various therapeutic agents in real time. This approach aims to bridge the gap between genetic susceptibilities and treatment outcomes, providing more accurate predictions of treatment efficacy and improving clinical decision-making. The utilization of functional diagnostic assays, such as the ChemoID assay, further enhances the potential of FPM. By directly assessing drug efficacy in patient-derived cancer stem cells (CSCs), the ChemoID assay provides crucial insights into tumor behavior and treatment resistance. The clinical validation of this assay in phase-3 randomized trials for glioblastoma and platinum-resistant ovarian cancer underscores its potential to significantly improve patient outcomes, particularly in cases where standard treatments have failed. The integration of functional assays like ChemoID into clinical trial designs represents a significant step forward in personalized cancer treatment. By bridging the gap between genomic information and treatment outcomes, this approach has the potential to transform the clinical management of cancer and improve the lives of patients. Clinical efficacy data from ChemoID randomized trials will be presented. Citation Format: Pier Paolo Claudio, Candace M Howard. Using cancer stem cells to advance functional medicine in the era of precision oncology [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference in Cancer Research: Functional and Genomic Precision Medicine in Cancer: Different Perspectives, Common Goals; 2025 Mar 11-13; Boston, MA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2025;85(5 Suppl):Abstract nr IA036.