What is precision prevention, and could it change how we stop cancer before it starts?

Cancer prevention has long relied on broad approaches like vaccines, screening, and lifestyle changes. But researchers are now exploring something more targeted: precision prevention. Researchers from University of Oxford, University of Leicester, and the National Cancer Institute this month released a paper discussing precision prevention and the key challenges to making it a reality.

Precision prevention focuses on people at high risk of developing cancer due to their genes, environment, or precancerous conditions. Instead of testing a preventive measure in the general population, these studies zero in on smaller groups where a biologically matched intervention is more likely to work.

The authors note this approach has some clear advantages. Precision prevention studies are usually smaller, faster, and cheaper than large population trials. They can also help researchers understand how specific drugs, vaccines, or other agents interact with the earliest stages of cancer development. By collecting biological samples throughout the study, scientists gain insights into which interventions might be most effective—and when they should be delivered.

But there are challenges too. Precancers are often hard to detect, making it tricky to identify who should join a trial. Researchers also need reliable “surrogate markers”—biological signals that show whether a preventive strategy is working before a full cancer develops. Without those markers, studies can take years to prove results. Recruitment is another hurdle, since many participants are asked to commit to long-term monitoring and invasive testing.

So where are we now? According to the researchers, precision prevention is still in its early stages. They suggest some promising strategies, including cancer-preventive vaccines, targeted drugs to block cancer-promoting pathways, and repurposed medications like aspirin or metformin. Researchers are also working to identify biomarkers in blood or tissue samples that could serve as early warning signs.

For precision prevention to become a reality, it will take collaboration across fields: oncologists, geneticists, epidemiologists, and patient communities all have roles to play. It will also require support from funders and regulators to design trials that are faster, more flexible, and more inclusive of diverse populations.

If successful, precision prevention could not only protect those at highest risk but also unlock new insights into how cancer begins. Over time, those lessons might translate into prevention strategies for the broader public.

Read the full article in Precision Prevention Studies: A Targeted Approach to Cancer Prevention

This article was created with the assistance of AI and fact-checked and edited by a human.