Somatic and germline sequencing in genitourinary oncology: genetics for the clinician

Next-generation sequencing is becoming more accessible. This review focuses on the clinical application of somatic and germline sequencing to genitourinary oncology.

Germline variants have been increasingly recognized as contributing to the development of genitourinary malignancies, particularly in patients with advanced disease. A variety of commercial and institutional technologies are in use to detect variants, with newer tools focused on integrating these results into the clinical workflow.

DNA sequencing is becoming a valuable tool in caring for patients with genitourinary malignancies. Performing both somatic and germline sequencing will likely become standard practice. Interpretation and clinical application of these results can be challenging and often requires multidisciplinary expertise.