Predictive medicine is a branch of medicine that aims to
identify patients at risk of developing a disease, thereby enabling either
prevention or early treatment of that disease. Either single or more
commonly multiple analyses are used to identify markers of future
disposition to disease.
Predicting the probability of disease and instituting preventive measures to
prevent the disease altogether or significantly decrease its impact, is
beneficial to the patient. There are different prediction methodologies,
including cytomics, proteomics, and genomics. But the most fundamental way
to predict future disease is based on genetics.
Proteomics and cytomics allow for early detection, but they detect biological
markers that exist because disease had already started. Comprehensive
genetic testing, on the other hand, allows for the estimation of disease
risk, years to decades Gene therapy replaces defective genes with healthy
ones, adding new genes to help the body fight or treat disease.
Predictive medicine also applies to certain markers in cancer cells which can
predict response to treatment, for eg, patients with oestrogen
receptor-positive breast cancer are likely to respond to endocrine therapy.