Optimizing communication for ultrafast lung cancer biomarker testing: the UTOPIA pilot study

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Genomics
• Molecular Diagnostics

Background:

• Non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) treatment increasingly relies on precision oncology targeting specific molecular alterations.
• Delays in biomarker result turnaround times (TAT) can impede timely initiation of optimal NSCLC therapies.
• Evaluating streamlined workflows to expedite comprehensive molecular reporting is crucial for improving patient care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the feasibility of a streamlined workflow for delivering comprehensive molecular reports within 72 hours for NSCLC patients.
• To determine if molecular tumor board (MTB)-centered triage and automated next-generation sequencing (NGS) processing can reduce TAT.

Main Methods:

• A prospective cohort study (UTOPIA protocol) involving 96 NSCLC patients.
• Implementation of MTB-centered triage, automated NGS, and integrated data review.
• Standardized communication protocols including daily huddles and pre-MTB meetings.

Main Results:

• 100% of the 96 NGS reports met the 72-hour TAT target.
• The NGS failure rate was minimal at 1%.
• Actionable genomic alterations were identified in 45.8% of patients, with EGFR and KRAS G12C being the most frequent.

Conclusions:

• An ultrafast biomarker testing workflow, driven by MTB triage and structured communication, reliably achieves comprehensive molecular reports within 72 hours for NSCLC.
• This rapid reporting approach has the potential to significantly reduce treatment delays.
• Timely biomarker-guided therapy for NSCLC patients can be facilitated by this efficient workflow.