” Assay allows classification into four distinct subtypes.
” Subtype analysis may enable more effective therapeutic
assignment.
” Test works on preoperative fine needle aspirates and
biopsies.
DENVER A test based on a panel of microRNAs under development by
Rosetta Genomics, Ltd., in Rehovot, Israel, may allow for more
precise diagnosis and better targeted therapy for patients with
lung cancer.
Tina B. Edmonston, M.D., director of the clinical laboratory at
Rosetta Genomics, Inc., presented data on the assay at the Fourth
AACR International Conference on Molecular Diagnostics in Cancer
Therapeutic Development, held here.
Lung cancers are traditionally divided into two main groups,
either neuroendocrine or non-small cell lung cancer. In 20 to 30
percent of the cases it is difficult to make a definitive diagnosis
of the tumor subtype using fine needle biopsy.
Subclassification has become very important in the determination
of patient management, said Edmonston. This subclassification leads
to treatment decisions, so it is very important to make the
diagnosis accurately.
Using their proprietary assay, which is still under development,
Edmonston and colleagues were able to further subclassify non-small
cell lung cancer into squamous and non-squamous, and neuroendocrine
into small cell lung cancer and carcinoid with a high level of
sensitivity and specificity.
Edmonston said this assay would result in better treatment
decisions because not all subtypes of lung cancer will respond to
certain drugs and some may even pose unique risks
# # #
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