CONTEXT: Another RWR study showing deficiencies in available biomarker testing, this time in Chronic lymphatic leukaemia patients. Biomarker driven care will give better outcomes for those patients with specific mutations in their tumours compared to standard therapy. If RWR can highlight to the medical profession where they need to focus their efforts, then it’s a job well done.
IMPACT: Medium
READ TIME: 2 mins
Quality Level Mean [1 – 10]: 7
1. “Of the patients who received prognostic biomarker testing, 24% had 17p deletion, 27% had TP53 mutation, and 71% had unmutated IGHV.1. In terms of BTK inhibitors, 2 studies were presented.”
2. “However, testing for these mutations is underperformed, according to data from the informCLL registry study (NCT02582879), eventhough they should be the standard of care for all patients, according to Anthony R. Mato, MD.”
3. “The study found that fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) testing was performed in only 28% of patients.Immunoglobulin heavy chain (IGHV) was performed in just 12% of patients.”
4. “MATO: This is a prospective registry of nearly 1500 patients, so it provides a great opportunity to study what’s going on in clinical practice.”
5. “So, [this research] gives us a window into practice, and then provides us a great educational opportunity to remind folks about what the standards of care are in terms of prognostic testing.”