Advances in personalized medicine: translating genomic insights into targeted therapies for cancer treatment

Background: Personalized medicine has revolutionized cancer treatment by utilizing genomic insights to tailor therapies based on individual molecular profiles. This approach enhances therapeutic efficacy, minimizes adverse effects, and addresses tumor heterogeneity through precision-targeted interventions. Methods: A scoping review was conducted through a comprehensive literature search in PubMed, using MeSH terms and keywords related to genomic profiling and targeted cancer therapies. Eligible studies included original research involving cancer patients who underwent genomic profiling and targeted therapies from January 1, 1950, to February 9, 2025. Results: Advances in next-generation sequencing (NGS) and bioinformatics have accelerated the identification of clinically relevant mutations-such as epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and BRAF V600E in melanoma-enabling the development of effective targeted therapies. Emerging technologies like clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) gene editing and artificial intelligence (AI) are further refining treatment selection by enabling more precise and adaptive therapeutic strategies. Despite these innovations, challenges persist regarding data interpretation, equitable access, costs, regulatory frameworks, and integration into routine clinical workflows. Conclusions: Genomic profiling is central to the advancement of precision oncology. The convergence of genomics, gene editing, and AI is paving the way toward more personalized, efficient, and inclusive cancer care. Realizing the full potential of personalized medicine will require interdisciplinary collaboration, investment in infrastructure, and ethical oversight to ensure broad, equitable, and responsible implementation in clinical practice.