A Paradigm Shift in Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC) Diagnostics: From Single Gene Tests to Comprehensive Genomic Profiling

Abstract

Lung cancer imposes a burden on the health care system worldwide affecting 2 million people and causing 1.8 million deaths in 2021.More than 85% of all lung cancer cases are reported under Non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). It is critical to discover gene alterations to treat non-small cell lung cancer successfully. The CAP/IASLC/AMP recommendations supported use of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) EGFR (epidermal growth factor receptor) mutations and ALK (Anaplastic lymphoma kinase) rearrangements, respectively. A study presented in the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) in Chicago emphasized the need for comprehensive genomic profiling (CGP) before single gene tests (SGTs) since it demonstrated that SGT can result in the depletion of precious biopsy samples. As a result, the efficacy of thorough genetic Profiling (CGP) is reduced, preventing patients from receiving valuable genetic information about their tumors.