Inside the Clinic: Experts Discuss Practical Aspects of Next-Generation Sequencing

Maher Albitar, MD, founder, chief executive officer, chief medical officer, Genomic Testing Cooperative, and Andre H. Goy, MD, physician in chief of the Hackensack Meridian Health Oncology Care Transformation Services, chairman and chief physician officer at John Theurer Cancer Center at Hackensack University Medical Center, and Lymphoma Division Chief at the John Theurer Cancer Center, discuss practical aspects of next-generation sequencing (NGS).

In 2022, liquid biopsy is used in combination with tissue biopsy across the spectrum of oncology management. Liquid biopsy has several applications and can be used to refine a diagnosis, stratify patients and select treatment, predict response and outcomes to therapy, and identify minimal residual disease and early relapse, Goy says. Moreover, ongoing research is evaluating the use of liquid biopsy for early diagnosis.

Both RNA and DNA sequencing are used, but RNA sequencing is the most reliable method for detecting gene fusions, Goy says. The applications for NGS are growing, and assays can do much more than identify a point mutation, Albitar says. Moreover, because of technology improvements, less tissue is required for testing, and turnaround times range from 5 to 10 days, Albitar adds.