A local business is helping cancer researchers develop patient specific cancer treatments.
ITOS Oncology is now located at Hotel-Dieu Grace Healthcare and is using molecular diagnostic equipment to identify cancer at its roots.
"This is really a game changer personalizing cancer treatment. It's working towards personalizing cancer treatment driven by genetic profiling of individual cancers," says ITOS Oncology founder Dr. Raj Atikkuke.
The method is currently used for clinical research only but oncologists hope it will one day be used to treat all patients with cancer.
"The goal of ITOS is to bring the research and get the research to the patients," says Atikkuke.
Currently the research is being funded through grants, however, in the future Atikkuke says genome profiling could be covered by OHIP if the research shows it is a useful tool.