Bridging the Gap Between Biomarker Testing and Treatment
October 5, 2023 Posted by: Eli Lilly and Company
Understanding the importance of comprehensive genomic profiling in lung cancer
This year alone, more than 1.9 million Americans will face a new cancer diagnosis.1 About 238,340 of those people are predicted to be new cases of lung cancer—the second most common cancer for men and women in the U.S. according to the American Cancer Society.2
Receiving a cancer diagnosis can be an overwhelming experience for the person diagnosed and their loved ones. Many questions can arise after a cancer diagnosis including: What type of cancer do I have? What are my treatment options? Is this type of cancer caused by genetic factors?
Although there is no one-size-fits-all in cancer care, there’s one thing everyone has in common: the right to personalized care.
Over the last fifteen years, there has been a rapid expansion of precision medicines, particularly for those living with cancer. Comprehensive biomarker testing plays a valuable role in ensuring that a person gets matched to the right treatment at the right time.
People living with advanced cancers may have better results from the rise of therapies that specifically target the alteration that is driving the cancer’s development. One type of cancer that is leading the charge in precision medicine and comprehensive genomic profiling is non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).
For people diagnosed with NSCLC, there is more than a 50% chance of having a genomic alteration that can be targeted by FDA-approved treatments.3 Next-generation sequencing technologies can detect actionable genomic alterations in a single test to potentially provide people with a more accurate diagnosis and personalized treatment options.
As more targeted therapies become available for people with cancer, biomarker testing is quickly emerging as the standard of care. Currently, the National Comprehensive Cancer Network recommends comprehensive biomarker testing for eligible people diagnosed with advanced or metastatic cancer.4
Despite the promise of precision medicine, comprehensive genomic profiling remains underutilized due to a lack of test access, especially for people of color, the uninsured or underinsured, and those treated in rural areas. Cost and time can also be a barrier. For those with lung cancer, it may be beneficial to understand a person’s specific cancer by waiting for the biomarker testing results before making an informed treatment decision.
It is important that those living with cancer and caregivers feel empowered to take a more dynamic role in comprehensive care. This includes sharing decision-making with providers and having open conversations with care teams. When people living with cancer and their caregivers are well-informed on important aspects of the diagnosis and treatment process, they can become better advocates for their health.
We are dedicated to working to educate and provide access to comprehensive genomic profiling for those diagnosed with certain cancers and continuing to challenge barriers in testing.
Transcript: 00:00-00:03 [Ambient music plays in background] [Loxo@Lilly Logo animation appears on screen] CAPTION: Loxo@Lilly 00:03-00:08 [Ambient music continues in background] [Animation of doctor and patient looking at x-ray of lung with three white dots on the left lung, expands to show and one hand placing an Rx bottle into another hand with a dotted line connecting the two images.] NARRATOR: In the fight against cancer, there's always a gap between diagnosis and treatment. CAPTION: Diagnosis and treatment. 00:08-00:17 [Ambient music continues in background] [Animation of doctor and patient looking at lung x-ray with three white dots on the left lung moves to the center of the screen and dotted lines with questions marks point out from the center.] NARRATOR: A diagnosis tells you what kind of cancer you have, but you need more information than that to understand your cancer subtype and to find the right treatment. CAPTION: Diagnosis and treatment. 00:18-00:21 [Ambient music continues in background] [Animation of doctor and patient looking at x-ray of lung with three white dots on the left lung moves to the left and another animation appears with one hand placing an Rx bottle into another hand. The two images are connected by a dotted line.] NARRATOR: So how do we bridge that gap? Knowledge. CAPTION: Knowledge. 00:21-00:28 [Ambient music continues in background] [Animation zooms into the lung x-ray image with three animated white spots appearing on the left lung.] NARRATOR: The more you know about your cancer, the better you can target and personalize treatment for your specific cancer type. CAPTION: Your Cancer. Your Specific Cancer Type. Descriptive Clue: The text on the screen transitions from “Your Cancer” to “Your Specific Cancer Type” 00:29-00:46 [Ambient music continues in background] [Rotating white DNA strand appears with red lines throughout the sequence. The captions appear and fade on the screen.] NARRATOR: This is the power of comprehensive biomarker testing. Biomarker testing, also known as genomic testing, can provide the knowledge and insight to bridge the gap between a cancer and your cancer; between a treatment and your treatment. CAPTION: Biomarker Testing. Genomic Testing. A Cancer. Your Cancer. A Treatment. Your Treatment. Descriptive Clue: The text on screen transitions from “Biomarker Testing” to “Genomic Testing,” and from “A Cancer” to “Your Cancer,” “A treatment” to “Your treatment.” 00:47-00:54 [Ambient music continues in background] [Animation of DNA strand transitions to appear in a smaller circle on right side of the screen. A scientist with a mask is looking through a microscope on the left side of the screen. Screen transitions to a close up of the DNA strand with red flags popping up on the red lines in the DNA strand.] NARRATOR: Testing for biomarkers looks for alterations or mutations in your cancer's genes to help identify the underlying drivers of a tumor. CAPTION: Alterations or Mutations. Underlying Drivers 00:55-01:03 [Ambient music continues in background] [Screen transitions to animation of a woman in a circle. Another circle with a pill bottle emerges to the right of the circle with the woman. The pill bottle has an image of the woman on the label in red. The pill bottle flips around to show the words “Based on: - Cancer profile - genetics”.] NARRATOR: Identifying biomarkers can lead to the use of precision medicines based on your specific cancer profile and personal genetics. CAPTION: Precision Medicine 01:04-01:13 [Ambient music continues in background] [Animation of doctor and patient looking at x-ray of lung reappear and another image of a hand placing an Rx bottle into another hand appears and is connected by a DNA sequence that transitions into a straight line. The Rx bottle has an image of the woman on the label in red. The woman begins walking the connected line from the left x-ray image to the right-side image of the hand with the Rx bottle with her picture on it.] NARRATOR: Knowledge is the most important tool we have in the fight against cancer. If you or a loved one are diagnosed with cancer, talk to your doctor about biomarker testing. CAPTION: Knowledge. 01:14-01:19 [Ambient music continues in background] [Red screen with the words “Bridging the Biomarker Gaps” large in the center and Loxo@Lilly logo in the bottom right corner.] NARRATOR: Understand your cancer, so you can find your treatment. CAPTION: Bridging the Biomarker Gaps. Your diagnosis is personal. Shouldn’t your cancer treatment be? 01:20 – 01:23 [Ambient music fades out in background] [Loxo@Lilly logo appears and fades out]
[1] American Cancer Society. Cancer Facts and Figures 2023. Available at: https://www.cancer.org/content/dam/cancer-org/research/cancer-facts-and-statistics/annual-cancer-facts-and-figures/2023/2023-cancer-facts-and-figures.pdf. Accessed August 16, 2023.
[2] American Cancer Society. Key Statistics for Lung Cancer. Available at: https://www.cancer.org/cancer/types/lung-cancer/about/key-statistics.html. Accessed August 16, 2023.
[3] Johnson M, et al. “My Patient Was Diagnosed With Nontargetable Advanced Non–Small Cell Lung Cancer. What Now?” Diagnosis and Initial Treatment Options for Newly Diagnosed Patients With Advanced NSCLC. American Society of Clinical Oncology Educational Book 38. 2018; 696-707. DOI: 10.1200/EDBK_201231.
[4] National Comprehensive Cancer Network. Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: Biomarker Testing Recommendations. Available at: https://education.nccn.org/node/90334#:~:text=The%20NCCN%20Clinical%20Practice%20Guidelines,receive%20appropriate%20targeted%20therapies%20or. Accessed September 1, 2023.