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M.L. Dalurzo
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ED 02 - Molecular Testing Around the World (Genomics in Clinic (Timelines/Bioinformatics), Testing Platforms & Algorithms (NGS, Targeted Panels, FISH, IHC), Cost Considerations, Strategies for Identifying Rare Genomic Subsets in Clinical Trials) (ID 2)
- Event: WCLC 2015
- Type: Education Session
- Track: Biology, Pathology, and Molecular Testing
- Presentations: 1
- Moderators:M. Ladanyi, G. De Lima Lopes
- Coordinates: 9/07/2015, 14:15 - 15:45, Four Seasons Ballroom F1+F2
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ED02.04 - Central/South America (ID 1777)
15:20 - 15:40 | Author(s): M.L. Dalurzo
- Abstract
- Presentation
Abstract:
This presentation comprises data from Central and South America, as well as Mexico since all of us, as Latin American countries share similar characteristics. The countries included in this group are considered “developing countries” and are characterized by their racial, geographic, cultural, political and economic heterogeneity. In order to obtain data about the current situation in the region, I have sent a survey to the institutions that perform molecular tests in these countries for which I could get contact information. The survey has been sent to 34 laboratories in 12 countries. I tried to be as inclusive as possible, although in some cases it was rather difficult to get adequate contact information. My apologies to those who did not received the survey and would have liked to participate. Nineteen laboratories answered the survey ¹. Although not updated, I also added information from 5 other laboratories presented at LALCA 2014². Despite these results do not represent every country nor all molecular laboratories in the region, many common factors can be identified which allow for a relatively accurate analysis. The results show: Molecular tests are run by a small group of laboratories concentrated in the main cities of these countries. Most frequently, molecular testing is financed by pharmaceutical companies or private health care programs; however, in some cases the government, through the public healthcare system, supports the cost of the tests, and occasionally the patient pays for it. The pharmaceutical companies centralize molecular testing in a few laboratories in each country. Although frequency is generally low, some specimens are analyzed abroad, mainly in the USA. Some regional laboratories perform the tests for those countries that do not have adequate technology for molecular testing. The general opinion was that sending specimens to molecular center did not pose major complications, except in big countries where the geographic distance tends to delay the transport. Pharmaceutical companies provide the logistic structure to aid in the transfer of specimens, thus, accelerating the process. Specimen rejection rate can be divided into two groups: insufficient tissue or inadequate specimen quality by poor tissue preservation. The average rejection rate was 5 to 22%, more frequently around 15%. As for quantity, some institutions improved the amount of tissue obtained and specimen handling over time. When consulted on the possibility to perform molecular tests for treatment and/or research, the answer were: 2 laboratories only make test for research, 10 only run them for treatment purposes and 9 perform tests both for treatment and research. In most of the countries research is more frequently economically supported by the government than by other sources. When oncologists participate in clinical trials the tests are usually run abroad, mainly in the USA. Table 1 shows the available test platforms in the laboratories that participated in the survey and their access to quality control (QC) programs. For sequencing, all the laboratories began with Sanger sequencing, but many of them have changed to PCR-allele specific real-time platform. Some countries are introducing NGS. Most countries do not have local regulations for quality control of molecular tests. A half of the laboratories included in the survey have a kind of international QC, represented by participation in CAP or European QC programs or sending material to reference laboratories for interobserver concordance of results. Table1
* LALCA surveys information not updated Information on the total tests performed in the region is still incomplete and the number varies from country to country. In spite of this, the main reference laboratories are included in the survey and the data obtained reveals an insufficient number of tests related to the frequency of advanced lung cancer cases in the region. I did not include in this survey the test results but published Latin American data³¯⁴¯⁵ shown regional/country variability in the frequency of EGFR mutation and sometimes in ALK fusion test, probably related to genetic variability in the Latin American population. What are the challenges of molecular testing in Latin America? One of them is the quality and quantity of tissue available for molecular tests. In the region we still struggle against badly-fixed or inadequately processed specimens. In this field, probably, there is much education and interdisciplinary work to do yet. Reimbursement is another challenge. In most of the countries, pharmaceutical companies have financed so far the cost of molecular tests, but if this were not the case in the future when the need for many other tests arises, health care systems will have to bear testing and treatment costs. A careful evaluation will be required in each country to organize the most balanced use of the available resources. A particularly important challenge for the region is molecular testing quality certification. The access to international quality control programs is very expensive for the majority of the regional laboratories but quality control must be ensured. A group of us is trying to organize a stratified system that allows for a more affordable program to all laboratories. It is still a project in development. 1-Survey participants: Argentina: Esteban Mocetti: Hospital Italiano. Buenos Aires. Marina Gutierrez: Laboratorio Stamboulian. Buenos Aires. Erica Rojas Bilbao:Hospital Roffo. Buenos Aires. Guillermo Bramuglia: Argenomics. Fundacion Investigar. Buenos Aires. Valeria Denninghoff: Instituto CEMIC. Buenos Aires. Jorge Palazzi: IICT Labs. Rosario. Brasil: Fernando Soarez. Isabela Werneck da Cunha: AC Camargo Cancer Center. Sao Pablo. Fabio Tabora:Argos Lab / Messejana Hospital. Fortaleza. Chile: Cristina Fernández Ferradás:. Instituto Nacional del Tórax. Santiago de Chile. Antonio Piottante Becker: Clínica Las Condes. Santiago de Chile. Colombia: Andres Felipe Cardona. July Rodriguez: Foundation for Clinical and Applied Cancer Research Bogotá. Ruby E. Ríos Quintana-Roberto Jaramillo: Unidad de Diagnostico Hemto-Oncologico. Cali.Costa Rica: Luis Corrales Rodriguez: Centro de Investigación y Manejo del Cancer.(CIMCA y CCSS). San José. Mexico: Graciela Cruz Rico: Instituto Nacional de Cancerología. Distrito Federal. Erica Sagrario Peña Mirabal: Instituto de Enfermedades Respiratorias. Distrito Federal. Perú: Juan Carlos Gomez de La Torre Petrell: Laboratorios ROE. Lima. Uruguay: Alejandra Torres: Laboratorio Genia. Montevideo.Gonzalo Manrique, María Noel Zubillaga. Asociación Española. Montevideo. 2. LALCA 2014 surveys, not updated: Cintya Sternberg. INCA. Rio de Janeiro.Brasil, Vinicius Duval Da Silva Pontificia Universidade Catolica do Rio Grande do Sul. Brasil. Yumay Pires. Clinica Alemana. Santiago de Chile. Ana Margarita Baldión Elorza. Hospital Universitario Fundación Santafé de Bogota. Colombia. Nicolas Vivar Diaz. Hospital Carlos Andrade Marin. Quito Ecuador 3: Arrieta O, Cardona A, Martin C et al. Updated Frequency of EGFR and KRAS mutations in NSCLC in Latin America. The Latin-America Consortium for the Investigation of Lung Cancer (CLICaP) JTO 2015;10: 838-843 4: Bacchi C. et al. EGFR and KRAS mutations in Brazilian lung cancer patients. CLINICS 2012;67 (5):419-424 5: De Melo A et al. Mutational Profile and new IASLC/ATS/ERS classification provide additional prognostic information about lung ADC. A study of 125 patients from Brazil. Oncology 2015; Apr 1.(Epub ahead of print)Country Argentina Brazil Chile Colombia Costa Rica Ecuador Mexico Peru Uruguay Laboratories 6 2/2* 2/1* 2/1* 1 1* 2 1 2 EGFR 6 3 3 3 1 1 2 1 2 ALK 6 4 3 3 1 1 2 1 Other tests 5 3 2 3 1 2 1 2 Sanger Seq. 5 2 1 2 2 PCR allele specific-real time 4 2 2 2 1 1 2 1 1 NGS 3 1 1 FISH 4 3 3 2 1 1 2 1 IHQ 5 2 1 2 1 1 1 External QC 3 1 1 1 1 1 1
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