Dr. Sands on the Importance of NGS Testing in Lung Cancer

Jacob Sands, MD, physician, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, instructor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, discusses the importance of next-generation sequencing (NGS) testing in lung cancer.

NGS testing has become overwhelmingly important in the lung cancer treatment landscape, Sands says. If a patient has an actionablealteration that is targetable with any of the FDA- approved therapies, it is important to identify those mutations, so patients are matched with the therapy in the proper setting, Sands explains. Moreover, many of these therapies are used in the first-line setting, but some may be used in the second-line setting, Sands adds.

After completing NGS testing, it is important to look at PD-L1 expression as aconsideration for immunotherapy, Sands continues. These drugs that have been developed over the last 10 years are leading to a new era of targeted therapy within the overlapping era of immunotherapy, Sands says. However, it is important to ensure that the appropriate testing is being completed to optimize treatment for individual patients, Sands concludes.