Precision oncology perspective puts patient-reported outcomes alongside molecular findings
Published in Bioethics, Journals, Personalized medicine.
Published November 1, 2026.
A perspective published in npj Precision Oncology on October 29 proposes a framework for incorporating patients’ own reports into molecular tumor board-guided care.
Gräßel and colleagues focus on symptoms, functioning, quality of life, treatment burden and personal priorities. Such information can matter when tumor boards consider molecularly guided treatments, particularly off-label options supported by limited evidence.
The proposed framework has four domains: measurement, data integration, decision support and governance. Its purpose is to guide repeated monitoring and learning while making patients’ experiences more visible alongside molecular findings.
This is a conceptual proposal, not a clinical trial demonstrating improved survival or quality of life. Patient-reported outcomes add a distinct perspective but do not establish whether a particular drug works. The authors report no competing interests and acknowledge German public research funding. The peer-reviewed accepted article remains subject to editorial changes.
Source: Gräßel et al., npj Precision Oncology, October 29, 2026.