By Diagnostics World Staff
July 18, 2025 | Swiss researchers have achieved a significant breakthrough in cancer diagnostics, demonstrating that advanced multiomics testing can successfully predict the most effective treatments for melanoma patients within four weeks—a timeline fast enough for real-world clinical use.
The pioneering study, published in Nature Medicine, represents a fundamental shift from traditional drug-testing trials to diagnostics-driven treatment selection. Rather than testing individual drugs, researchers used nine different molecular biological technologies simultaneously to analyze tumor biopsies from 116 patients, enabling precise treatment decisions with just a two-week technical turnaround time.
Diagnostic Innovation in Action
The comprehensive diagnostic approach combined cutting-edge technologies including single-cell genomics, targeted spatial proteomics, mass spectrometry, and next-generation DNA sequencing. Of these nine platforms, only two—NGS and digital pathology—are currently part of standard diagnostic practice.
"At least at an academic center, physicians are ready to take up the information and act on it," said Dr. Andreas Wicki, professor of oncology at the University of Zurich and lead researcher on the project. The diagnostic recommendations influenced therapy choices in 75% of cases, with treating specialists incorporating the multiomics data into their clinical decision-making.
From Laboratory to Clinic
The eight-year Tumor Profiler project, conducted across three Swiss hospitals, generated 43,000 data points per tumor sample. However, treatment recommendations were based on just 54 individual markers known to predict tumor response to specific therapies. This selective approach highlights both the diagnostic potential and the current limitations of multiomics data interpretation.
The diagnostic workflow proved remarkably efficient: one week for biopsy work, two weeks for multiomics testing, and another week for multidisciplinary tumor board review. This four-week timeline represents a significant achievement in bringing complex diagnostic technologies into routine clinical practice.
Perhaps most encouraging for widespread adoption, the diagnostic costs have plummeted dramatically. When the project began in 2018, multiomics testing cost approximately $140,000 per patient. Today, that figure has dropped to roughly one-tenth of the original cost, making the approach increasingly viable for broader clinical implementation.
Researchers also demonstrated that not all nine technologies may be necessary for every patient. Simulation exercises showed that two to four diagnostic platforms could be sufficient for most cases, potentially reducing costs further while maintaining diagnostic accuracy.
Clinical Impact and Future Directions
The study showed improved response rates and progression-free survival for patients whose treatments were guided by multiomics diagnostics compared to those receiving standard care. While the benefit to the overall population was limited, researchers identified substantial improvements for patients who had exhausted standard therapies and received specific, biomarker-guided treatments.
The diagnostic approach is now being expanded to Switzerland's five most prevalent solid cancers, including breast, colorectal, lung, and ovarian cancers. This broader implementation will test the diagnostic framework's applicability beyond melanoma and potentially establish new standards for precision oncology.
For the complete story and detailed technical analysis, read Deborah Borfitz’s full article in Clinical Research News.