Advanced molecular diagnosis program (DIAMAV)

Dr. Josep Tabernero, Director of VHIO and Head of the Medical Oncology Department at Vall d’Hebron University Hospital, Dr. Ana Vivancos, Head of the Cancer Genomics Group, Dr. Paolo G. Nuciforo, Head of the Molecular Oncology Group, Dr. Rodrigo Dienstmann, Head of the Oncology Data Science Group (ODysSey).

The DIAMAV program focuses on molecular characterisation of tumours from cancer patients, seeking to identify key molecular alterations in the development of different tumours that can be susceptible to treatment with targeted therapies.

The identification of these therapeutic targets will enable personalised diagnosis and treatment for patients in order to offer an individualized treatment plan.

To this end, VHIO operates various technology platforms that enable development of unique techniques in the fields of Genomics, Translational Genomics, Proteomics and Molecular Pathology, including liquid biopsy and cancer detection in blood samples.

The program also analyses the evolution of disease based on sequential samples and additional assays, allowing the therapeutic plan to be adapted to the needs of each case. In addition, patients may also be included in specific clinical trials, thus benefiting sooner from their positive results.

A total of 1,168 patients participated in this program in 2017 and the figure is expected to increase substantially in the future.