Genomic Testing

"These tests, germline and tumor somatic testing, are extremely important and can no longer be ignored in the clinic when we see these patients," says Neeraj Agarwal, MD.

The Invitae Common Hereditary Cancers Panel utilizes DNA taken from a blood sample to identify the presence of variants in 47 genes linked to an increased risk of developing certain cancers.

In patients with microhematuria, a positive result on the test was associated with a 5-fold increase in the risk of patients harboring bladder cancer compared with current metrics alone.

When compared with standard risk factors, only Decipher Prostate Genomic Classifier scores were independently associated with metastasis-free survival and distant metastasis.

This is the largest prostate cancer study that examined the exome, according to the researchers, who believe their findings can potentially inform the makeup of panels used for genetic testing in prostate cancer.

Data showed that the proportion of Black patients referred for genomic testing increased from 19% to 58% after the implementation of the precision medicine navigator.

The findings suggest that drug therapies targeting the NOTCH1 gene may serve as an alternative treatment option for patients with kidney cancer in whom surgery is not recommended.

Patients with mCRPC will be randomly assigned 2:1 to receive masofaniten/enzalutamide or enzalutamide alone.

The approval of the olaparib/abiraterone regimen was based on an exploratory subgroup analysis of the phase 3 PROpel trial consisting of the 85 patients in the study with BRCA-positive metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer.

Approximately half of prostate cancer patients with clinically actionable gene variants do not meet the NCCN guideline criteria for genetic testing, according to findings from the PROCLAIM trial.

The FoundationOne CDx test will identify patients who are eligible to receive niraparib plus abiraterone based on the genomic profile of their prostate tumor.

The approval of the niraparib/abiraterone dual-action tablet for BRCA-positive mCRPC is based on findings from the phase 3 MAGNITUDE study.

The study assessed US veterans receiving care at the Veterans Health Administration for all cancer types, including prostate cancer.

Patients classified as GC high risk had a 5-year disease progression of 40%, compared with 20% among GC low-risk patients.

This marks the first worldwide approval for the niraparib/abiraterone dual-action tablet.

The investigators identified several genetic factors, including ARID1A mutation, that correlated with survival outcomes in patients with advanced urothelial carcinoma treated with immune checkpoint blockade.

"In our sample, nearly 10% of patients [with prostate cancer] had a gene variant that made them eligible for effective new therapies, with faster results than traditional referral for genetic testing and counseling,” said Maria I. Carlo, MD.

Michael S. Leapman, MD, MHS, highlights a study of patient experiences with tissue-based genomic testing during active surveillance for prostate cancer.

Researchers identified 9 novel susceptibility loci for prostate cancer, 7 of which were substantially more prevalent in patients of African ancestry.

“Vanderbilt researchers are participating in numerous projects related to PRS and disease risk; studies such as this highlight the importance of evaluating whether novel clinical tools actually enhance care,” said Kerry Schaffer, MD.

There currently 2 PARP inhibitors—olaparib and rucaparib—approved as monotherapies for the treatment of patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer.

“What we really want to do is have more enhanced engagement of broader populations,” says Veda Giri, MD.

"Given the fact that this field has really expanded, we see that patients are engaging with genetic testing in various different ways," says Veda Giri, MD.

The application is supported by findings from the phase 3 MAGNITUDE study.

“We need to leverage these great platforms to put out high-quality information with experts that people can listen to from home or on the go and get the information that they need,” says Stacy Loeb, MD, MSc.