Every patient is unique—and so is every tumor.

It was previously thought that tumors had many similarities and that there was therefore a treatment regimen for each type of cancer (e.g., breast or prostate cancer) that could be used for all patients. New methods enable much more accurate genetic and molecular analysis of tumors. It has been shown that each tumor has unique characteristics that influence its response to different treatments and the course of the disease. These characteristics can even change during treatment, which is why, for example, chemotherapy or hormone therapy that is initially effective can become ineffective as the disease progresses.

From statistics to individual cases: IOZK immunotherapy

This explains why the results of large-scale therapy studies cannot simply be transferred to individuals: at best, they can indicate statistical probabilities, but they cannot make any statements about individual patients. That is why intensive research is being conducted into molecular markers that can predict a tumor's response to certain treatment approaches. The goal is personalized medicine. We pursue this approach in a special way at the IOZK: IOZK immunotherapy is customized for each patient and is based on the use of the patient's own immune cells and tumor antigens.

"In the treatment of tumor diseases, it is becoming increasingly clear that there is no such thing as 'the tumor' or 'the patient'. Standardized approaches that do not take individual circumstances into account are of limited use."

Dr. Katharina Sprenger, MD