Lung Cancer Biomarker Testing ECHO Year 3

This session provided an overview of the ECHO model, along with providing a data level-set of the current burden of lung cancer in each state, and provide a brief introduction to lung cancer biomarker testing, including the current guidelines and approved FDA biomarker-driven treatments.

This session will provide an overview of the biomarker continuum through the lens of the critical medical stakeholders, showcasing the coordinated sequence of events that is required and the common gaps at every stage of the multidisciplinary care continuum.

This session will define the overall role of the multidisciplinary care team, including the coordination by pathologists and medical oncologists to ensure adequate lung cancer tissue is collected for testing. Additionally, it will provide guidance on how to procure adequate tissue samples that allow for accurate characterization of histology, biomarker testing, and the tissue and discuss the approaches of the different proceduralists.

This session will provide guidance and recommendations regarding the appropriate biomarker testing modalities (next-generation sequencing (NGS), Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), and blood. Additionally, it will discuss how to interpret the current NGS reports and the appropriate next steps, e.g. recommendations for FDA approved treatments or cancer clinical trials (if no FDA approved treatment exists, etc.).

This session will offer strategies to reduce turnaround time and present approaches to help ameliorate the patient’s wait time for the results.

This session will explore the current coverage policies and reimbursement for single gene tests, as compared to multi-gene panel tests by private and public payers in each state and provide solutions to overcome reimbursement barriers.