Dr. Kim on the Role of Biomarker Testing in Treatment Decisions for Solid Tumors

Edward S. Kim, MD, MBA, physician-in-chief at City of Hope Orange County and vice physician-in-chief at City of Hope National Medical Center, discusses the role of biomarker testing in making treatment decisions for patients with solid tumors.

With the emergence of targeted therapies and different agents for the treatment of various malignancies, biomarker testing has become an essential part of the diagnosis of a patient, Kim says. Although radiologic tests, pathology, and histology information are available, the full scope of the patient’s disease is not complete without biomarker testing, Kim stresses.

Despite the importance of biomarker testing, rates of testing remain significantly short of where they should be, Kim continues, adding that mutations or other biomarkers can influence treatment decisions. Biomarker testing can identify patients who may be candidates for a specific therapy that can improve their outcome or deliver similar efficacy with a better safety profile, Kim concludes.