FDA Approves an Oncology Drug That Targets a Key Genetic Driver of Cancer, Rather Than a Specific Type of Tumor

[snoraste]

Sounds like good news for this group of patients.

practiceupdate.com/c/76800/...

[CalBear74]

Interesting report.

This is the key paragraph in the report and the one that tells me it will be a challenge to get clinicians to change their approach to testing. Sadly, this may not easily impact the patients who need it most.

"Because of the difficulty of determining the presence of these alterations, and because of the low pretest probability that such an alteration is present, it will be important for clinicians to learn more about whether there are certain patients (eg, with certain tumor types) who are more or less likely to harbor one of these fusions and whether this additional testing is worth the risk of a potential additional biopsy in some cases. Generally, patients without evidence of metastatic disease should probably not be tested routinely, as their cancers are often curable without systemic therapy. Patients with metastatic disease should probably have their tumors tested regardless of type of cancer, but the costs and returns associated with this broad-based testing remain unclear."

CalBear74

[Stegosaurus37]

The STRATA trial (STR-001-001) may assist in the testing area. This is going on now (I'll be signing up this coming week) and just uses material from your diagnosis biopsy. No new biopsy or other personal involvement required.

[Lombardi24]

Your cancer must express the NTRK gene mutation or it won't work.

[Rexwaterbury]

I have had the gaurdant 360 gene testing on circulating tumor cells which revealed I have a defect in the NTRK Gene. I don’t know if it is a gene mutation or fusion. Does this medicine only work for fusion defects, and if so, how do I find out if my gene defect was a fusion defect? I suppose I can bring this Up when I see Dr. Drake in one week.

[snoraste]

That's a question for your MO or geneticist.