Importance of genetic screens in precision oncology

Abstract

Precision oncology aims to distinguish which patients are eligible for a specific treatment in order to achieve the best possible outcome. In the last few years, genetic screens have shown their potential to find the new targets and drug combinations as well as predictive biomarkers for response and/or resistance to cancer treatment. In this review, we outline how precision oncology is changing over time and describe the different applications of genetic screens. Finally, we present some practical examples that describe the utility and the limitations of genetic screens in precision oncology.