20 Years of Profound Progress in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Deserves a Diagnostics Portfolio Without Compromise

Precision medicine has transformed the way we view, approach, diagnose and treat non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Transformation has been achieved in such a short space of time because precision medicine is its own engine of progress: a feedback loop where genomic testing and targeted treatment not only improve outcomes for patients in the clinic, but also provide vital insights that further deepen our understanding of tumor biology and fuel the innovation that delivers the next generation of treatments.

For decades, lung cancer was a cancer that seemed unbeatable. Five-year survival rates were practically immovable, only rising from 10.7% in 1970 to nearly 16% by the early 2000s,¹ in stark contrast to many other cancers.² Since the early 2000s, survival rates have continued to steadily increase, reaching 25% in 2022.³

The arrival of the new millennium was a turning point in lung cancer. The identification of EGFR gene mutations as oncogenic drivers in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) was the catalyst for two decades of unparalleled progress, ushering in a new era of targeted treatment options and advancements in comprehensive diagnostic testing options for NSCLC.

A turning point for lung cancer outcomes

New targetable genomic alterations are discovered on a regular basis. Treatments that target alterations in the EGFR, ALK, PI3K/AKT/mTOR, RAS-MAPK, RET, MET, BRAF, and NTRK/ROS1 pathways are now available in the clinic.⁴

For NSCLC without targetable drivers, immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) are now a mainstay of therapy. Checkpoint inhibitors, including CTLA-4 inhibitors and those that target the programmed-death ligand 1 (PD-1/PD-L1), inhibit the regulatory pathways that control the activation of tumor-infiltrating T cells. This means the full power of the immune response can be directed at the tumor.

Without advances in genomic testing technology, the new array of targeted treatments would not exist, and it is now the standard of care to perform biomarker testing when NSCLC is diagnosed to inform the treatment strategy.^5,6

Advocacy organizations are raising awareness and providing education on the importance of biomarker testing and the treatment options they can help identify for patients. Hear more from Courtney Granville, Ph.D, M.S.P.H., Chief Scientific Officer at GO2 for Lung Cancer, on this important topic:

A new treatment landscape of hope and complexity

For patients, the wealth of potentially effective options brings hope of improved outcomes and significant reductions in mortality—it also makes for a very different conversation at diagnosis.

For healthcare providers, navigating the complexity of the treatment landscape is increasingly challenging and the growing number of testing options adds yet another layer of complexity.

As an oncologist, I want to have absolute confidence that the diagnostic test I have chosen has delivered all the knowledge and insights that I need to make the right treatment decision for my patients. 

A portfolio based on over a decade of leadership

Foundation Medicine has long been at the forefront of change in precision medicine and has an unmatched understanding of what defines excellence in biomarker testing. We have channeled this knowledge and expertise into creating a high-quality diagnostics portfolio that delivers the highest level of confidence for NSCLC patients.

Foundation Medicine has more FDA-approved companion diagnostic indications for NSCLC than any other testing company,⁷  and Foundation Medicine analyzes all 12 guideline-recommended genes for NSCLC.^8,9,10,11 In addition,  FoundationOne®CDx is approved to be used as a companion diagnostic (CDx) to identify patients eligible for adjuvant therapy with two NSCLC medicines. 

Another important advance in recent years has been the introduction of blood-based genomic profiling, also called liquid biopsy. For many patients with advanced NSCLC, getting a tissue biopsy is not feasible due to the patient’s health, so liquid biopsy has unlocked the power of precision medicine for many more patients through a simple blood draw.

However, choosing liquid has traditionally meant compromising on the level of certainty that accompanies the results. Liquid biopsy relies on the tumor shedding enough DNA into the blood to enable accurate and reliable detection. So, in the case of a negative liquid biopsy result, it is recommended to reflex to tissue-based testing to avoid potentially missing important molecular alterations. This adds time, complexity and cost to the testing process and is not possible for many patients.

The most recent addition to our portfolio of diagnostic tests provides an additional element of certainty that every base has been covered through testing. While most fusions, which are a rare type of alteration we can see in tumors, can be detected through DNA sequencing, there are a small number of fusions that can only be detected through RNA sequencing.  FoundationOne®RNA is a tissue-based RNA sequencing test for fusion detection that can now be added to a FoundationOne CDx order. With FoundationOne RNA, healthcare providers gain another layer of sophisticated fusion detection in 318 genes through RNA sequencing that can be chosen as an option for certain patients when medically necessary. 

Wrapped around our technology is the additional confidence provided due to the standards of quality we bring to our products, the convenience of our integrations with electronic medical records, flexible and clear result reporting, and the breadth of coverage and access we have achieved for patients.

The transformation we have seen in lung cancer is an incredible achievement, and we are unwaveringly committed to continued innovation in our portfolio of tests to advance the treatment landscape even further.