Beyond nosology? Molecular tumor boards, singularization, and the conflation of diagnosis and therapy

This article partakes in a number of recent attempts to map the reconfiguration of clinical work as part of the deployment of precision oncology. We focus on the platforms, in particular Molecular Tumor Boards, that act as a condition of possibility for implementing innovative experimental interventions, and which are part of the emergence, beyond the traditional confines of diagnosis, of a data ecosystem geared towards increasing patient access to drugs matched to their genomic profile. MTBs are a key component of this singularization process, and their activities are central to the looping mechanisms that connect the diagnosis of individual patients to the revision of diagnostic categories. These categories are no longer merely diagnostic but operate as predictive guides to therapy.

Automated summary

The article explores the role of Molecular Tumor Boards in precision oncology, highlighting how they enable innovative treatments and connect individual patient diagnoses to the revision of diagnostic categories. These categories now serve as predictive guides to therapy, shifting beyond traditional diagnostic roles.