Molecular testing for treatment of metastatic non-small cell lung cancer: How to implement evidence-based recommendations

The recent discovery of relevant biomarkers has reshaped our approach to therapy selection for patients with non-small cell lung cancer. The unprecedented outcomes demonstrated with tyrosine kinase inhibitors in molecularly defined cohorts of patients has underscored the importance of genetic profiling in this disease. Despite published guidelines on biomarker testing, successful tumor genotyping faces significant hurdles at both academic and community-based practices. Oncologists are now faced with interpreting large-scale genomic data from multiple tumor types, possibly making it difficult to stay current with practice standards in lung cancer. In addition, physicians’ lack of time, resources, and face-to-face opportunities can interfere with the multidisciplinary approach that is essential to delivery of care. Finally, several challenges exist in optimizing the amount and quality of tissue for molecular testing. Recognizing the importance of biomarker testing, a series of advisory boards were recently convened to address these hurdles and clarify best practices. We reviewed these challenges and established recommendations to help optimize tissue acquisition, processing, and testing within the framework of a multidisciplinary approach.