A lung biopsy is an invasive and uncomfortable procedure — especially for an 80-year-old grandmother. But by profiling his elderly patient’s tumours in this way, lung oncologist Geoffrey Oxnard could target them with a matched drug. After treatment, his patient’s tumours seemed to disappear.
Then, some time later, the 80-year-old returned to Oxnard’s clinic riddled with pain. Tests showed that the cancer had returned, and hunting down a genetic cause of this resistance would require another invasive lung biopsy.
