Molecular predictive testing in precision oncology: The Italian experience

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Molecular Pathology
• Health Services Research

Background:

• Italy's decentralized healthcare model supports numerous local laboratories for in-house molecular testing.
• Guidelines and external quality assessments are provided by the Italian Society of Pathology and Cytopathology.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review molecular pathology testing for predicting targeted therapy response in solid tumors within Italian clinical practice.
• To outline the evolution and future directions of molecular testing in Italy.

Main Methods:

• Review of current practices in molecular pathology testing for solid tumors in Italy.
• Analysis of the Italian healthcare system's role in molecular diagnostics.
• Discussion of technological advancements and their impact on testing strategies.

Main Results:

• A decentralized model of molecular testing is prevalent, with local labs performing in-house assays.
• National programs integrated oncologist and pathologist activities for identifying actionable mutations.
• The Italian National Health Service now provides full reimbursement for molecular testing.

Conclusions:

• Molecular pathology testing is integral to personalized cancer treatment in Italy.
• The system is evolving towards centralized, advanced technologies like next-generation sequencing.
• Future trends indicate a move towards outsourcing complex molecular analyses to specialized referral laboratories.