IRVING, Texas, July 30, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Caris Life Sciences®, a leading innovator in molecular science focused on fulfilling the promise of precision medicine, today announced that the University of Arizona Cancer Center (UACC) and its clinical partner Banner – University Medical Center Tucson (Banner – UMC Tucson) have joined Caris' Precision Oncology Alliance™ (POA). They join other leading cancer centers to develop standards of care and best practices for the use of tumor profiling, making cancer treatment more precise and effective.

"We look forward to working with Caris Life Sciences and the Precision Oncology Alliance to further advance molecular profiling and precision medicine," said Andrew Kraft, M.D., UACC Director. "As oncology continues to move toward individualized medicine, it is critical that we develop capabilities to accurately profile cancerous tumors and identify effective treatments, ultimately improving patient care and survival."

The POA, which consists of 25 academic, hospital and community-based cancer institutions including seven NCI-designated Comprehensive Cancer Centers, is broadening patient access to precision medicine tools and establishing evidence-based standards for tumor profiling and molecular testing in oncology. The POA will leverage Caris' comprehensive genomic profiling plus (CGP+) tumor profiling service, Caris Molecular Intelligence®, to identify therapy options and clinical trial opportunities based on the unique molecular characteristics of a patient's tumor.

"Banner – UMC Tucson is currently the only nationally ranked hospital in its region, and has a long history of developing and advancing precision medicine programs," said John Marshall, M.D., Director of the Otto J. Ruesch Center for the Cure of Gastrointestinal Cancer at Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center and Chief of the Division of Hematology-Oncology at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital, and Chairman of the POA Executive Committee. "With Banner as their clinical partner, UACC will be a particularly valuable and productive member of our Alliance."

Caris Molecular Intelligence assesses DNA, RNA and proteins to reveal a molecular profile to guide more precise and individualized treatment decisions. Based on the unique molecular characteristics of an individual patient's cancer, the results help inform treatment decisions by identifying therapies that have the potential to be most effective and to rule out those that are less likely to work.

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