Genetics & Genomics
By Jaffer A Ajani, MD; Al B Benson III, MD; Mary B Daly, MD, PhD, FACP; David S Ettinger, MD; Maria M Ho, PhD
Cancer remains the leading cause of death in individuals aged <80 years in the United States, and was responsible for nearly 10 million deaths worldwide in 2020. According to the National Cancer Institute, the 5-year survival rate for individuals diagnosed with localized cancer of any type is 89%.3 However, this rate drops to only 21% for those diagnosed with metastatic disease highlighting the 1 detrimental impact of late-stage diagnosis on patient outcomes. Read More ›
Researchers have identified 2 inherited pathogenic genetic variants in patients with pediatric neuroblastoma, according to results from a study presented at the 2021 virtual American Association for Cancer Research annual meeting. Both variants—the ALK gene and loss of function in PHOX2B—are associated with worse outcomes. Read More ›
Genetic testing can play an important role in determining a patient’s risk for developing certain cancers and can be used to individualize treatment for better clinical outcomes. In a recent study published online in JAMA Oncology, researchers reported that universal multigene panel testing among patients with solid tumors was associated with increased detection of mutations compared with targeted testing based on standard guidelines. Read More ›
Financial Toxicity, Genomic Testing, Leukemia, Head & Neck Cancers , In the Literature, Genetics & Genomics
- Xospata Extends Overall Survival in Patients with FLT3 Mutation–Positive Relapsed or Refractory Acute Myeloid Leukemia
- Published Results from KEYNOTE-048 Trial Show Extended Survival with Keytruda Advanced Head and Neck Cancers
- Discussing Costs of Genomic Testing with Patients
The speed at which the genetics revolution has propelled forward in oncology has created enormous ramifications and unanticipated challenges, according to Suzanne Mahon, RN, DNSc, AOCN, AGN-BC, CNS, Professor, Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Saint Louis University, MO. Read More ›
By Phoebe Starr
Genomic testing is now the standard of care for patients with non–small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The 4 identified genomic mutations that are targetable with FDA-approved therapies include EGFR, ALK, ROS1, and BRAF, and other NSCLC-associated genetic mutations are targetable with therapies currently being investigated in clinical trials. More genetic mutations are linked to NSCLC, but there is currently no accepted standard for genomic testing in NSCLC, or the optimal timing of such tests. Read More ›
By Wayne Kuznar
A new retrospective analysis presented at ASCO 2018 lends support to precision medicine in cancer. In the Initiative for Molecular Profiling and Advanced Cancer Therapy (IMPACT) clinical trial, selecting a targeted therapy based on patients’ tumor molecular analyses independently predicted longer overall survival (OS) compared with nonmatched therapy across a diverse set of advanced tumor types. Read More ›