Purpose of review: The field of cystic fibrosis (CF) is changing dramatically as the scientific knowledge accumulated since the cloning of the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene is being translated into effective therapies to correct the basic defect and provide better disease models and in-depth understanding of the basic mechanisms of disease.
Recent findings: This review focuses on three main aspects of the recent advances in the field: understanding the lung disease pathophysiology (in particular, the early events that condition its onset), better definition of the complex microbiology of the CF airway, and therapeutic developments. Although the most recently developed therapies, whether approved or under study, do not constitute a definitive cure, the benefit to patients is already becoming clearly apparent.
Summary: As the field continues to change rapidly and new therapies are being identified, CF has become a paradigm for the application of concepts such as translational medicine, genomic medicine, and personalized care, with measurable clinical benefit for the patients affected by this disease.