Towards precision cancer medicine for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cancer health equity

Abstract

Summary Delivering cancer control at scale for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities is a national priority that requires Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leadership and codesign, as well as significant involvement of the Aboriginal community‐controlled health sector. The unique genomic variation observed among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples may have implications for standard and precision medicine. Yet, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are absent from, or under‐represented within, human reference genome resources, genomic studies, cancer studies, cancer cell lines, patient‐derived xenografts and cancer clinical trials. Genomics‐guided precision cancer medicine offers an opportunity to reduce cancer health disparities experienced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples through personalising prevention, diagnosis, treatment and long term management. Here, we describe what is required to ensure that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples can receive the benefits of precision cancer medicine. Equity of access to care, an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cancer workforce, and appropriate genome reference resources are important for safe and effective cancer medicine. Building Indigenous data sovereignty principles and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander governance into research is required to protect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander rights and collective interests. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community engagement should be undertaken to develop an understanding of the unique cultural and ethical considerations for precision cancer research. Local and national genomic health research guidelines are needed to define a consensus best practice in genomics research with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.