Every patient is unique - and so is every tumor

It used to be thought that tumor diseases had a lot in common and that there was therefore one treatment regimen for each type of cancer (e.g. breast or prostate cancer) that could be applied to all patients. New methods enable a much more precise genetic and molecular analysis of tumors. It has been shown that each tumor has a unique characteristic that influences the response to different treatments and the course of the disease. It can even change during treatment - which is why, for example, an initially effective chemotherapy or hormone therapy can become ineffective as the disease progresses.

From statistics to individual cases: IOZK immunotherapy

This explains why the results of large therapy studies cannot simply be transferred to the individual: at best, they can only provide statistical probabilities but cannot make any statement for the individual patient. This is why intensive research is being carried out into molecular markers that can predict the response of a tumor to certain treatment approaches. The goal is personalized medicine. We pursue this approach at the IOZK in a special way: IOZK immunotherapy is individually adapted 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 neither 'the tumor' nor 'the patient'. Standardized approaches that do not take the individual situation into account are only of limited benefit."

Dr. med. Katharina Sprenger