For the very first time, there has been a ray of hope for lung cancer patients. Scientists from Houston they have reported evidence that there can be a personalized medicine for patients based on a patient's tumor characteristics.

Results from an unusual biopsy-mandated study matching treatments to specific molecular signatures, or biomarkers were presented by University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center researchers. Improved survival was seen in certain pairings identified.

Dr Edward Kim, a professor of thoracic oncology and the study's principal investigator said, "This trial changes the landscape of lung cancer research. It suggests we can supplant existing toxic therapies with drugs targeted for the right population."

The therapy known as targeted therapy would initiate chances of clinical trials that were precise in which a smaller number of lung-cancer patients get treatment based on their biomarker.

Biopsies of about 225 patients were obtained for the M. D. Anderson study. It was analyzed which of five molecular signatures were fueling their growth and assigned the patients to one of four therapies that are being used for other cancers also.

The study found evidence that being better than the other three, each of the drugs targeted specific molecular signatures. It was also found that 46 per cent of patients gained disease control, and after two months of targeted treatment, non-progression of a tumor was seen as an indicator of survival.