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Optum and Illumina Inc. researchers documented that lower than half of sufferers with newly recognized superior cancers obtained any biomarker testing earlier than beginning therapy, a spot that continued regardless of established pointers recommending such assessments to information remedy choice.
Clinicians have confronted a quickly increasing panorama of focused therapies over the previous 20 years, with the U.S. Meals and Drug Administration clearing a number of biomarker-dependent medicine throughout tumor sorts. With so many choices changing into accessible, strain is mounting to alleviate the principle bottleneck—testing sufferers for his or her biomarkers.
Within the examine, “Biomarker Testing Approaches, Treatment Selection, and Cost of Care Among Adults With Advanced Cancer,” revealed in JAMA Community Open, researchers carried out a retrospective cohort evaluation to look at testing charges, therapy patterns, and price impacts throughout six most cancers sorts.
The cohort included 26,311 adults recognized between 2018 and 2022. Information had been drawn from the Optum Labs Information Warehouse, capturing each business and Medicare Benefit claims throughout america.
Investigators assigned sufferers to a few teams: no proof of biomarker testing, non-CGP biomarker testing, and CGP testing, based mostly on claims information from the 90 days previous systemic remedy initiation. Examine measures included per-patient, per-month prices, use of focused remedy throughout first-line therapy, and frequency of testing over time.
Total baseline biomarker testing was 35% (all cancers mixed) and rose solely to 39% by 2021–22.
Amongst sufferers with non-small cell lung most cancers, 45% underwent any biomarker testing earlier than therapy initiation, together with 22% who obtained CGP. Ovarian most cancers sufferers had the bottom charges, with simply 17% examined. Time traits confirmed modest enhancements, with CGP use for lung most cancers rising from 12% in 2018 to 33% in 2021–2022.
Sufferers receiving CGP had been considerably extra more likely to begin focused remedy. For non-small cell lung most cancers, odds of receiving focused therapy had been increased amongst these with CGP (odds ratio [OR], 3.41; 95% CI, 2.87–4.05) and non-CGP testing (OR, 2.16; 95% CI, 1.80–2.60) relative to sufferers with out testing. Comparable patterns appeared in colorectal most cancers (CGP OR, 3.46; non-CGP OR, 1.48).
Price analyses revealed no statistically vital variations in all-cause per-patient, per-month prices between CGP and non-CGP testing throughout evaluated most cancers sorts. For instance, amongst breast most cancers circumstances, the associated fee ratio was 1.03 (95% CI, 0.91–1.17; P = .63).
Sufferers enrolled in Medicare Benefit plans demonstrated decrease or comparable biomarker testing charges in contrast with these lined by business well being plans.
Throughout a number of most cancers sorts, descriptive outcomes indicated this disparity continued all through the examine interval. For instance, in non–small cell lung most cancers, the share of sufferers present process complete genomic profiling elevated over time in each insurance coverage teams however remained decrease amongst Medicare Benefit enrollees.
Investigators conclude that though testing charges elevated over time, most sufferers didn’t endure guideline-recommended biomarker assessments earlier than beginning first-line remedy.
CGP testing was related to increased focused remedy use with out will increase in treatment-related prices. Broader adoption of CGP may enhance alignment between advisable and precise care whereas preserving financial sustainability.
Written for you by our creator Justin Jackson,
edited by Sadie Harley, and fact-checked and reviewed by Andrew Zinin—this text is the results of cautious human work. We depend on readers such as you to maintain unbiased science journalism alive.
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Extra info:
Stacey DaCosta Byfield et al, Biomarker Testing Approaches, Therapy Choice, and Price of Care Amongst Adults With Superior Most cancers, JAMA Community Open (2025). DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2025.19963
Kenneth L. Kehl, Biomarker Testing in Superior Most cancers, JAMA Community Open (2025). DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2025.19972
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Complete genomic profiling linked to increased focused remedy use, with Medicare sufferers lagging behind (2025, July 16)
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