Genetic alterations in the FGFR2 gene occur in various cancer types and represent a promising target for therapies. However, clinical responses to available therapies remained variable and unpredictable, making it difficult to select patients who would benefit from these types of treatments. An international team of researchers, including Shridar Ganesan, MD, Ph.D., chief of molecular oncology and associate director for translational research at Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, the state’s leading cancer center and only NCI-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, together with RWJBarnabas Health, have found new opportunities to improve diagnostics and targeted therapy for many cancer patients. The research, published in the online version of Nature, highlights the importance of studying the functional consequences of genetic changes in tumors.