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Research & Clinical Trials

Our research brings innovation from our laboratory to your bedside. Find out if you're a candidate for clinical trials.

Precision Medicine  

Baylor Precision Medicine Institute

When battling a condition such as cancer or heart disease, you want to know that you and your medical team are doing everything possible to win the fight.

Baylor Precision Medicine Institute offers patients advanced diagnostic and treatment options, including access to clinical trials, while also continuing to improve the basic knowledge about predicting, preventing and treating a disease. Precision medicine is a very personalized and focused approach, expanding the range of available treatment options for each patient and their unique situation.

One tool, but by no means the only tool of precision medicine, is to examine a patient’s genetic makeup to detect any alterations that may lead to a more effective therapy or a more accurate prediction of risk. This information enables physicians on the medical staff to more effectively research treatment options and develop personalized therapies to combat disease.

Physicians also team with specially trained genetic counselors to survey and test patients and possibly appropriate family members for genetic issues that might place them at a higher risk for developing certain types of cancer and other diseases.

Precision medicine services are available to patients with cancer, heart disease and other conditions. A specially trained navigator works with each patient throughout the process to coordinate care, answer questions and assist each patient and their family.

Baylor is a member of the Personalized Medicine Coalition, an international organization dedicated to improving the outcome, reducing side effects and costs associated with treatment.

For more information about Baylor Precision Medicine Institute, please call 1.800.4BAYLOR.

Understanding Precision Medicine

What is precision medicine?

Precision medicine uses science to predict, prevent and treat disease to improve outcomes, reduce side effects and try to reduce costs associated with treatment. Also called personalized medicine, precision medicine is a focused approach for each patient and his or her unique situation.

How does Baylor Precision Medicine Institute work?

Baylor Precision Medicine Institute has two areas of focus – direct patient care and access to new discoveries. Physicians on the medical staff at Baylor working through Baylor Precision Medicine Institute examine patients’ medical records, perform advanced testing and team with other physicians, scientists and experts around the world to access advanced studies and treatment options. This offers access to a wide range of clinical trials in addition to existing treatment options. Each patient also works with a dedicated and specially trained patient navigator throughout the process who assists with scheduling testing and other necessary appointments, answers questions and assists each patient and his or her family.

What tests might be involved?

Since each patient has a unique medical history and situation, testing can vary. This may include genetic testing and counseling from Genetic Counseling for appropriate patients and possibly family members. Specially trained genetic counselors help patients understand the possible genetic contribution to disease and, when appropriate, patients and family members are able to undergo genetic testing. This can help determine more specific treatment protocols, as well as help define the risk for developing certain types of cancer and other diseases.

Who is an appropriate candidate for precision medicine?

Precision medicine may be appropriate for any patient who is not responding to current treatment, including those being treated for cancer and heart disease, as well as many other conditions.

For more information about Baylor Precision Medicine Institute, please call 1.800.4BAYLOR.

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