2024 World Conference on Lung Cancer (WCLC) - ePosters-EP.12E.02 Landscape, Management & Outcome of Real-World Fusion-positive Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC)

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In recent years, the management of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) has significantly evolved due to the identification of actionable oncogenic driver genes and the development of targeted therapies. This shift towards precision medicine has notably improved the prognosis for patients with these mutations. However, challenges remain, particularly concerning diagnostic testing, genomic sequencing limitations, and access to targeted therapies, often hampered by funding issues.<br /><br />A study conducted in Alberta, Canada, focused on the outcome of 47 patients with fusion or isoform-positive NSCLC. The study employed next-generation sequencing (NGS) to identify oncogenic fusions and isoforms, aiming to fill the knowledge gap regarding the real-world characteristics and outcomes of such patients. This analysis revealed a diverse array of genomic alterations, with MET exon 14 skipping (38%) and ALK fusions (34%) being the most common. <br /><br />Despite the presence of approved targeted treatments, their uptake was limited, especially when funding was self-sourced. The study highlights the crucial role of approved and financially accessible systemic therapies in improving survival outcomes. Patients with alterations having funded therapies (like ALK and ROS1) showed higher therapy uptake rates and better survival compared to those with unfunded therapies (like MET exon 14 skipping and RET).<br /><br />Findings emphasize the importance of incorporating NGS-based genomic profiling and targeted therapies in routine healthcare systems to manage NSCLC efficiently. Ensuring available and financially supported systemic therapy options is vital to optimizing patient outcomes in fusion-positive NSCLC cases. This study underscores the necessity of overcoming current barriers to improve accessibility to diagnostic testing and treatment for enhanced patient prognosis in real-world settings.

Asset Subtitle

Amanda Gibson

Meta Tag

Speaker Amanda Gibson

Topic Metastatic Non-small Cell Lung Cancer – Targeted Therapy

Keywords

NSCLC

oncogenic driver genes

targeted therapies

precision medicine

next-generation sequencing

genomic alterations

ALK fusions

MET exon 14 skipping

systemic therapies

healthcare accessibility