CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Aug. 15, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --Cancer Treatment Centers of America (CTCA) and Foundation Medicine today announced a new element to their longstanding partnership to increase awareness of advancements in genomic testing and precision medicine in oncology. The educational initiative directed toward physicians, other caregivers and patients will highlight the importance of integrating comprehensive genomic testing of solid tumors early in an individual's care plan as a model to inform personalized care and improve clinical outcomes for individuals with cancer.

"Precision cancer treatment using advanced genomic testing is changing the science of cancer care," said Maurie Markman, M.D., President of Medicine & Science at CTCA. "As oncologists, we have an obligation to the patients we serve to keep pace with, and, whenever possible, lead the way in the application of the latest diagnostic tools that may help inform treatment decisions. Our partnership with Foundation Medicine empowers our physicians to customize treatment plans according to the individual patient's clinical profile right down to the molecular level, and therefore furnish care in a much more comprehensive and effective manner."

The partnership brings together CTCA, a national network of five cancer treatment hospitals at the forefront of delivering precision cancer treatment to address individual patients' unique treatment needs, and Foundation Medicine, a leader in molecular information that offers a suite of comprehensive genomic profiling (CGP) assays that identifies the molecular alterations in an individual's cancer and matches them with potentially relevant targeted therapies, including immunotherapies.

Through their shared patient-centered philosophy, CTCA and Foundation Medicine will educate the medical community about the successful approach CTCA is using to incorporate FoundationOne for solid tumors into clinical care. Specifically, the educational initiative will feature several patients with cancer, chronicling each person's journey from cancer diagnosis to tumor profiling to treatment. Through this case-based approach, the program aims to provide insights into precision medicine treatment approaches based on an individual's unique cancer, including the selection of targeted therapies, appropriate clinical trials and responses to immunotherapy.

"Precision medicine, and a move to a more personalized, targeted approach to cancer care, is becoming ever more ubiquitous as the published data continues to validate this approach as leading to better clinical outcomes for patients," said Vincent Miller, M.D., Chief Medical Officer for Foundation Medicine. "As such, it's critical that every stakeholder in a patient's care planphysician, patient and care teamis knowledgeable about the benefits of genomic profiling, and importantly, that they have the right tools at the ready to implement such an approach. We applaud CTCA leadership in this area and we're delighted to collaborate with them on this educational initiative."

To learn more about genomics and precision cancer treatment, visit cancercenter.com. To learn more about genomic testing and FoundationOne, visit FoundationMedicine.com.

About Cancer Treatment Centers of AmericaCancer Treatment Centers of America Global, Inc. (CTCA), headquartered in Boca Raton, Fla., is a national network of five hospitals that serves adult patients who are fighting cancer. CTCA offers an integrative approach to care that combines advancements in genomic testing and precision cancer treatment, surgery, radiation, immunotherapy and chemotherapy, with evidence-informed supportive therapies designed to help patients physically and emotionally by enhancing their quality of life while managing side effects both during and after treatment. CTCA serves patients from around the world at its hospitals in Atlanta, Chicago, Philadelphia, Phoenix and Tulsa. Reflecting our patient-centered approach to cancer care, our patient satisfaction scores consistently rank among the highest in the country for cancer care providers, and CTCA is also rated one of the most admired hospital systems in the country in national consumer surveys. For more information, visit cancercenter.com, Facebook.com/cancercenter and Twitter.com/cancercenter.

About Foundation Medicine Foundation Medicine(NASDAQ:FMI) is a molecular information company dedicated to a transformation in cancer care in which treatment is informed by a deep understanding of the genomic changes that contribute to each patient's unique cancer. The company offers a full suite of comprehensive genomic profiling assays to identify the molecular alterations in a patient's cancer and match them with relevant targeted therapies, immunotherapies and clinical trials.Foundation Medicine'smolecular information platform aims to improve day-to-day care for patients by serving the needs of clinicians, academic researchers and drug developers to help advance the science of molecular medicine in cancer. For more information, please visithttp://www.FoundationMedicine.comor followFoundation Medicineon Twitter (@FoundationATCG). Foundation Medicineand FoundationOne are registered trademarks ofFoundation Medicine, Inc.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including, but not limited to, statements regarding the objectives of any educational initiatives between CTCA and Foundation Medicine; the importance of integrating comprehensive genomic testing of solid tumors early in an individual's care plan to improve clinical outcomes for individuals with cancer; and the value and performance capabilities of Foundation Medicine's comprehensive genomic profiling assays. All such forward-looking statements are based on management's current expectations of future events and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially and adversely from those set forth in or implied by such forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include the risk thateducational initiatives are not developed or launched in the anticipated manner; Foundation Medicine'sCGP andservices will not be able to identify genomic alterations in the same manner as prior clinical data or prior experience; and the risks described under the caption "Risk Factors" inFoundation Medicine'sAnnual Report on Form 10-K for the year endedDecember 31, 2016, which is on file with theSecurities and Exchange Commission, as well as other risks detailed inFoundation Medicine'ssubsequent filings with theSecurities and Exchange Commission.All information in this press release is as of the date of the release, andFoundation Medicineundertakes no duty to update this information unless required by law.

Contact: Michael Myers Cancer Treatment Centers of America rel="nofollow">michael.myers@ctca-hope.com 561-923-3179

Lee-Ann Murphy Foundation Medicine 617-245-3077 rel="nofollow">pr@foundationmedicine.com

View original content with multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/cancer-treatment-centers-of-america-and-foundation-medicine-join-forces-to-advance-precision-cancer-treatment-300504156.html

SOURCE Cancer Treatment Centers of America

See the original post here:

Cancer Treatment Centers of America and Foundation Medicine Join Forces to Advance Precision Cancer Treatment - Markets Insider