ASCP LabQ offers an easy way to earn credits toward Credential Maintenance. LabQ is an online self-paced study tool designed to provide education specifically for practicing laboratory technologists. The cases present challenges faced in the lab and demonstrate how the laboratory professional or team resolves these problems.
The activity offers 4 CMLE or SAMs credits.
New therapies based on molecular biomarkers signify promising advances for those patients with NSCLC who have not responded to traditional chemotherapy treatment protocols. One such advance is the identification of therapeutic agents that target the ROS1 gene rearrangement. National Cancer Center Network (NCCN) 2015 Guidelines recommend ROS1 testing for targeted therapies in all appropriate patients with advanced lung cancer. In addition, the advent of targeted therapies has increased the awareness of the laboratory team’s crucial role in the management of lung cancer, and the direct impact testing, interpretation, and diagnosis of biomarkers has on patient therapies.
However, pathologists and laboratory professionals must communicate effectively with their colleagues to ensure the accurate interpretation and management of ROS1 rearrangements in NSCLC. Clinical teams also lack clarity on the role of pathological testing in guiding selection of optimal treatment regimens. Clear communication and reporting of ROS1 results between the laboratory and the oncologist is necessary to ensure proper treatment.
Learning Objectives:
· Identify common problems in specimen inadequacy for ROS1 testing and ways to address them
· Describe ROS1 molecular testing as it relates to the recommended algorithm for a patient with lung cancer, including related demographics, histology, order of testing, and platform(s).
· Explain the clinical impact of ROS1 mutation-positive cancers.
· Discuss the importance of clear written interpretative explanation and verbal communication when discussing ROS1 test results to ensure clinician understanding and appropriate incorporation into patient care.
· Identify the pros and cons of IHC testing for ROS1
· Identify the pros and cons of FISH testing for ROS1
· Identify the pros and cons of RT-PCR/NGS for ROS1
· Improve the understanding of ROS1 diagnosis in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer
Funded by an independent educational grant from Pfizer.