The Cancer Precision Medicine Diagnosis and Treatment (K-MASTER) Enterprise / 대한내과학회지

ABSTRACT

“Precision” trials, using reasonably integrated biomarker targets and molecularly selective anticancer agents, have become a major concern for both patients and their physicians. As next-generation sequencing, which is a parallel analysis method, becomes quicker, easier, and more accurate, precision medicine-based approaches are becoming more generalized in determining treatments for cancer patients. However, it is not applicable to all cancer patients because of current high prices, limited reimbursement coverage, low prevalence of driver genetic mutations, and lack of treatable drugs. To solve these problems, the Republic of Korea has been operating the Cancer Precision Medicine Diagnosis and Treatment (K-MASTER) Enterprise since its establishment in June 2017. The aim of the project was to conduct large-scale genomic analyses, appropriate matching targeted clinical trials, and data management, which incorporates genomic and clinical information. In this review, we introduce the goals and composition of this project and describe the progress of the project to date.