Personalized oncology, ethics and adherence to NCCN guidelines

Successful personalized oncology today depends on clinicians taking advantage of the extensive, evidence-based information provided by the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) Guidelines, which arguably represent the most important advance in cancer care occurring in the last many decades. Personalized oncology also demands that clinicians present guideline information to each patient in a thorough, comprehendible and unbiased manner. Finally, the patient’s ability to process that information for shared decision-making about whether an intervention is consistent with their personal preferences, goals and values is perhaps the most important ingredient in truly personalized oncology care. Here, the ethics of sometimes transgressing from the NCCN guidelines with the aim of more personalized care is discussed.