A genetic test panel can help patients avoid unnecessary diagnostic thyroid surgeries, according to a study published Nov. 8 in JAMA Oncology. More than six in 10 of patients with thyroid nodules of … [Read more...]
PRECISION MEDICINE
Panel Size Affects Accuracy of Tumor Mutational Burden Calculation
November 26, 2018
Panel size is a critical determinant of test performance and cutoff values for determining the tumor mutational burden (TMB) to guide treatment decisions with immunotherapies, according to a study … [Read more...]
INDUSTRY TRENDS
Despite 23andMe Authorization, FDA Cautious About PGx Testing
November 26, 2018
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) provided 23andMe (Mountain View, Calif.) authorization for the first direct-to-consumer (DTC) test for detecting genetic variants that may be associated … [Read more...]
INDUSTRY TRENDS
One-Fourth of Myriad’s Variants of Unknown Significance Reclassified Over 10 Years
November 19, 2018
Variant reclassification following hereditary cancer genetic testing is common, according to a study published by Myriad Genetics (Salt Lake City) Sept. 25 in the Journal of the American Medical … [Read more...]
INNOVATION
Liquid Biopsies Enable Pediatric Brain Cancer Monitoring
October 29, 2018
Liquid biopsies may enable physicians to monitor treatment effectiveness for children with brain cancer, enabling detection of progression earlier than MRI imaging, according to a small study … [Read more...]
EMERGING TESTS
Similar Driver Mutations Seen Across Metastasized Cancer
October 29, 2018
Driver mutations that are responsible for cancer growth are similar among metastases in a single patient, according to a study published Sept. 7 in Science. Thus, the authors say, a single biopsy is … [Read more...]
PRECISION MEDICINE
Majority of Patients Unaware of their BRCA Status
October 29, 2018
Eight in 10 patients carrying a BRCA mutation are unaware of their status, according to a study published Sept. 21 in JAMA Network Open. The authors say these findings highlight that previous BRCA … [Read more...]
INNOVATION
AI Using Laboratory Data to Inform Clinical Decisions
October 15, 2018
Artificial intelligence- (AI-) based technology is beginning to penetrate health care. Like most other clinical decision-making, several early AI applications rely upon laboratory data. While … [Read more...]
SPECIAL FOCUS
New Test Aids Lung Cancer Risk Assessment, But Survival Benefit of Comprehensive Sequencing Questioned
September 14, 2018
Lung cancer-related testing is receiving a lot of attention, but recent results appear to show mixed benefits for these emerging tests. There is an urgent need to improve lung cancer risk assessment, … [Read more...]
EMERGING TESTS
Whole-Genome Sequencing Adds Value to Cardiomyopathy Workup
August 20, 2018
Whole-genome sequencing (WGS) identifies additional genetic causes of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) beyond those identified through targeted gene sequencing approaches, according to a study … [Read more...]
