Overview
- Kyoto University Hospital announced on Nov. 28 that conducting genomic panel testing before starting standard therapy was associated with longer survival than testing after completing it.
- The study tracked 172 patients with unresectable advanced or recurrent gastrointestinal and lung cancers across six domestic centers beginning in 2021 for three years.
- Actionable alterations were found and recommended targeted therapies were delivered to 43 patients, representing 25% of those tested.
- Among patients who received panel‑guided treatment, the risk of death was 41% lower compared with other participants, the researchers reported.
- Lead investigator Professor Manabu Muto said earlier testing enables timely access to effective drugs and called for lifting Japan’s reimbursement limit that confines testing to after standard treatment, a policy in place since 2019.