Dr. Nathan Pennell, Cleveland Clinic, evaluates chemotherapy sensitivity assays, describing the difficulties inherent in predicting response to chemotherapy agents.

“Are we theeeeere yet?” Every parent knows that familiar whining from the back seat of the car. Sometimes, I feel as impatient as the kid in the back of the car. Although EGFR mutation helps with predicting tarceva (erlotinib) response, I want markers for cytotoxic (traditional) chemotherapy now. Unlike the parent in the driver’s seat of the car, I’m not entirely sure where we are, or where we’re going. Sometimes I feel as though I’m driving in the dark. Could molecular markers be the headlights?