Response-to-Therapy Test for Lung Cancer

A new genomic test measures epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) by fluorescence in situ (FISH), a DNA-based technology, to identify nonsmall-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients who are most likely to respond to new targeted therapies.

FISH can detect amplification of EGFR in NSCLC tumors. Recent clinical studies show an association between high EGFR gene copy number and favorable clinical benefit for advanced NSCLC patients treated with targeted therapies such as Iressa (gefitinib) or Tarceva (erlotinib). Information provided by the test can help doctors determine the likelihood of clinical benefit prior to the initiation of treatment. Knowing whether a NSCLC patient is likely to benefit from a specific targeted therapy at the onset of treatment is extremely beneficial for both doctors and patients.

"With the increasing number of targeted cancer therapies in development, it becomes even more important to be able to identify the most appropriate candidates for these targeted drugs, and this assay is a step in the right direction,” commented Weidong Huang, M.D., Ph.D., medical director of Oncotech (Tustin, CA, USA), which developed the new test.

Oncotech provides innovative molecular oncology testing services for more than 1,000 hospitals throughout the United States and Europe to help doctors in the care and management of cancer patients. The company is a market leader in the field of in vitro drug resistance and therapy-selection testing.





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