Release Date: Jul 2017
CC: PC, MK, PBL, ICS, PR, SBP
Jennifer Morrissette, PhD
Clinical Director, Center for Personalized Diagnostics, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA; Assistant Professor, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA
Cindy M. McGrath, MD
Chief of Cytopathology, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA; Professor of Clinical Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Pennsylvania Medical Center, Philadelphia, PA
Description:
With the surge of next generation sequencing performed to detect mutations for cancer diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment decisions, the choice regarding sample types and appropriate breadth of testing has never been more important. This discussion will focus on cytopathology in the age of precision medicine and the importance of how specimens are obtained, laboratory parameters and their relationship with genetic data. Acquisition and the subsequent treatment of cytology specimens can differ substantially based on the fixation as well as between fine needle aspiration specimens and effusion material. The ability to detect clinically useful variants relies on the material obtained, the quantity and quality of the nucleic acids, and the bioavailability of the material. We will discuss how management of the specimen by the cytopathology team is critical to the ability of the laboratory to obtain meaningful genomic results, including discussions on the logistics of sequencing, implications of mutation detection in non-tissue samples, and tumor heterogeneity.
After attending this session, participants will be able to:
· Describe the various roles of cytopathology in personalized medicine.
· Identify scenarios where cytopathology specimens would be beneficial/preferential for appropriate next generation sequencing (NGS).
· Identify opportunities and challenges for implementation of NGS for cytopathology specimens and how this could improve patient care.
Who should attend? Practicing Pathologists, Residents, Doctoral Scientists, Pathologists' Assistants, Laboratory Managers, Cytotechnologists, Histotechnologists, Students