Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 4, 2025
06:55
Low-Cost, Volume-Controlled Dipstick Urinalysis for Home-Testing
Published on: May 8, 2021
5.7K
ALK Testing Trends and Patterns Among Community Practices in the United States
Peter B Illei1, William Wong1, Ning Wu1
1Peter B. Illei, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD; William Wong, Laura Chu, Ravindra Gupta, and Katja Schulze, Genentech, South San Francisco; Matthew A. Gubens, University of California, San Francisco, CA; and Ning Wu, PRO Unlimited, Boca Raton, FL.
JCO Precision Oncology
|February 9, 2022
Summary
ALK testing in advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) increased over time. However, certain patient groups were less likely to be tested, indicating a need for further education on molecular diagnostics for ALK rearrangements.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Molecular Diagnostics
- Public Health
Background:
- Targeted therapy for anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) rearrangements in metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) improves patient outcomes.
- Real-world data on ALK testing patterns in community practices are crucial for understanding treatment accessibility.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess real-world ALK testing patterns in advanced (stage IIIB or IV) NSCLC patients within US community practices.
- To identify demographic and clinical factors associated with ALK testing rates.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of electronic health records from the Flatiron Health database (January 2011–May 2017).
- Inclusion of patients aged ≥18 years with stage IIIB or IV NSCLC and at least two visits.
- Logistic regression to examine associations between patient characteristics and ALK testing.
Main Results:
- Over 53% of 31,483 NSCLC patients were tested for ALK rearrangements.
- ALK testing rates varied significantly by histology (66.9% nonsquamous vs. 18.5% squamous) and increased from 32.4% in 2011 to 62.1% in 2016.
- Older age, male sex, smoking history, non-Western US region, recurrent disease, squamous histology, and certain insurance types were associated with lower testing rates. 21.5% started therapy before results.
Conclusions:
- ALK testing rates in NSCLC have improved but remain suboptimal in specific patient subgroups.
- Educational initiatives are needed to promote molecular testing for ALK rearrangements in all eligible NSCLC patients.
- Addressing disparities in ALK testing is essential for equitable application of targeted therapies.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
01:14Testing Water Quality
206
When the quality of water for concrete preparation is uncertain, its impact on the setting time of cement and compressive strength of mortar is assessed by comparison with de-ionized or distilled water benchmarks. American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) C1602 requires the setting times to be within 90 minutes of the control, British Standard (BS) 3146:1980 allows a 30-minute variance in the initial setting, while British Standards European Norm (BS EN) 1008 specifies initial setting...
206
01:17Cochran's Q Test
606
Cochran's Q Test is a nonparametric statistical test used to determine if there are potential differences in the outcomes of three or more related groups on a binary (yes/no) or dichotomous outcome. It is essentially an extension of the McNemar Test, which is limited to two related samples - Cochran's Q test can handle three or more related samples, making it more versatile in scenarios where subjects are measured under multiple conditions. The test statistic follows a Chi-Square...
606
01:14Decision Making: Traditional Method
4.3K
The process of hypothesis testing based on the traditional method includes calculating the critical value, testing the value of the test statistic using the sample data, and interpreting these values.
First, a specific claim about the population parameter is decided based on the research question and is stated in a simple form. Further, an opposing statement to this claim is also stated. These statements can act as null and alternative hypotheses, out of which a null hypothesis would be a...
First, a specific claim about the population parameter is decided based on the research question and is stated in a simple form. Further, an opposing statement to this claim is also stated. These statements can act as null and alternative hypotheses, out of which a null hypothesis would be a...
4.3K
02:20Longitudinal Research
12.6K
Sometimes we want to see how people change over time, as in studies of human development and lifespan. When we test the same group of individuals repeatedly over an extended period of time, we are conducting longitudinal research. Longitudinal research is a research design in which data-gathering is administered repeatedly over an extended period of time. For example, we may survey a group of individuals about their dietary habits at age 20, retest them a decade later at age 30, and then again...
12.6K
02:16Surveys
16.1K
Often, psychologists develop surveys as a means of gathering data. Surveys are lists of questions to be answered by research participants, and can be delivered as paper-and-pencil questionnaires, administered electronically, or conducted verbally. Generally, the survey itself can be completed in a short time, and the ease of administering a survey makes it easy to collect data from a large number of people.
16.1K
01:08Data Collection by Observations
13.0K
Data collection refers to a systematic way of obtaining, observing, measuring, and analyzing accurate information. Observational studies are one of the most widely used methods of data collection. It involves collecting data by observing the behavior and physical characteristics of a sample without making any modifications to the sample.
An astronomer viewing the motion and brightness of stars in the sky and recording the data is an example of observational data collection. A botanist recording...
An astronomer viewing the motion and brightness of stars in the sky and recording the data is an example of observational data collection. A botanist recording...
13.0K