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Biomarker Testing Rates and Turnaround Times for Patients With NSCLC Receiving First-Line Therapy in The US Oncology Network
Study findings revealed that 90% of patients with metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in The US Oncology Network received ≥1 biomarker test prior to first-line treatment, though <50% received testing for all 5 biomarkers: EGFR, ALK, ROS1, BRAF, and PD-L1 (Lung Cancer. 2022;166:197-204. doi:10.1016/j.lungcan.2022.03.004).
“The MYLUNG (Molecularly Informed Lung Cancer Treatment in a Community Cancer Network) consortium pragmatic study assessed real-world biomarker testing rates and turnaround times within a large community-based oncology network,” wrote Nicholas J. Robert, MD, medical director, Health Economic Outcomes Research/Health Informatics, McKesson Subspeciality Health, US Oncology, and colleagues.
Patients with metastatic NSCLC initiating first-line systemic therapy between April 2018 and March 2020 were investigated. Researchers examined biomarker testing rates and timing relative to first-line therapy for EGFR, ALK, ROS1, BRAF, and PD-L1, as well as utilization of next-generation sequencing (NGS).
A total of 3474 patients were included in the study; 74% had adenocarcinoma and 76% had a documented performance status of 0 or 1. Overall, 90% of patients had testing for ≥1 biomarker and 46% had testing for all 5 biomarkers.
From 2018 to 2020, the changes in testing rates were 71% to 71% for EGFR, 71% to 70% for ALK, 69% to 67% for ROS1, 51% to 59% for BRAF, 82% to 84% for PD-L1, and 42% to 49% for all 5 biomarkers. Rates of NGS testing increased from 33% to 45% (P <.0001).
Median time from diagnosis of metastatic NSCLC to receipt of first-line therapy was 35 days. Median turnaround times from biomarker testing to results ranged from 10 to 15 days for individual biomarkers and 18 days for NGS.
“In this real-world study, while most patients received at least one biomarker test prior to [first-line therapy], <50% received all 5 tests. NGS testing also occurred in <50% of patients but appeared to increase over time,” concluded Dr Robert and colleagues, noting that “The next phase of MYLUNG will evaluate contemporary ordering practices and turnaround times prospectively.”
