Dr. Rohs on the Role of Molecular Testing in Lung Cancer Management

Nicholas C. Rohs, MD, assistant professor of medicine, hematology, and medical oncology at the Icahn School of Medicine of Mount Sinai, discusses the role of molecular testing in patients with lung cancer.

Molecular testing is often conducted up front in patients with localized disease, says Rohs, unless they experience disease progression. When that happens, a liquid biopsy can be done to determine whether an evolution in the genetic component has occurred, explains Rohs.

However, the appropriate approach to testing will likely continue to evolve, projects Rohs. A key area of interest is further evaluating the evolution of these genetic markers throughout a patient’s treatment journey. Several ongoing studies are ongoing.

The results yielded from these studies could represent an important development in the management of these patients, as it could allow for more rapid intervention when changes in the disease are detected without waiting for evidence of radiographic or clinical evidence of progression, Rohs concludes.