Cancer. The very word strikes fear in the hearts of most people. While a cancer diagnosis is nowhere near the death sentence it used to be, the disease remains a terrifying prospect. Science has taught us the earlier cancer can be detected, the more promising the outcome, yet traditional cancer screenings like colonoscopy and mammography have their limitations – often due to the hesitancy of patients to undergo what are widely considered uncomfortable or invasive diagnostic procedures.

Another limitation of traditional medical tests and treatments is their one-size-fits-all design. Biology teaches us that no two people are exactly alike. Therefore, it is impossible to have a singular treatment that will produce the same result for everyone.

For decades, researchers have sought to improve the detection, prevention and treatment of cancer. Many of their working theories were built around the idea that the body's immune system could play a pivotal role in eradicating the disease from the body – a hypothesis that led to the development of precision medicine, a promising approach in the detection and treatment of cancer.