The Decipher Prostate Cancer Classifier from GenomeDx has impacted the suggested adjuvant treatment options made by participating physicians significantly, according to a new study conducted by 26 radiation oncologists and 20 urologists on 11 patients who underwent radical prostectomies and required followup care.
The results of the study, which is titled “Impact of a Genomic Classifier of Metastatic Risk on Postprostatectomy Treatment Recommendations by Radiation Oncologists and Urologists,” indicate that urologists and radiation oncologists experienced a healthy increase in agreed treatment options from 0.27 to 0.46 when the Decipher test was made available.
Contributing researcher to the study, Paul Nguyen, M.D., of Dana-Farber/Brigham and Women’s Cancer Center and Harvard Medical School, was quoted by WTRF as having said, “Conflicting treatment recommendations by different specialists looking at the same disease can be highly confusing for patients and is a problem for the health care system in general.” It is with this in mind that the Decipher Prostate Cancer Classifier was created.
The Decipher test is said to more accurately determine if patients are at an increased risk of metastasis following a prostatectomy with results ranging from low risk to high. Additionally, the Decipher test was designed to aline treatment plans suggested by both urologists and radiation oncologists depending on the results yielded per individual patient. This will in turn decrease the confusion patients experience as a result of conflicting treatment plans by physicians and ensures that patients receive appropriate care.
Doug Dolginow, M.D., chief executive officer of GenomeDX, was quoted in a press release as having said that the Decipher test “is notable that while the Decipher test significantly influenced treatment decisions, it did not increase the total number of people receiving adjuvant therapy, suggesting that it will help ensure that the ones selected for adjuvant therapy are the ones most like to benefit from it.”
It is notable that while the Decipher test significantly influenced treatment decisions, it did not increase the total number of people receiving adjuvant therapy, suggesting that it will help ensure that the ones selected for adjuvant therapy are the ones most like to benefit from it. As genomic tests like Decipher become used more routinely in urologic cancer patient care, they will have a greater impact on treatment recommendations in clinical practice and allow for a better personalization of therapy.
The Decipher test was made possible due to the joint efforts of GenomeDx and the Mayo Clinic. There is substantial evidence from the many clinical tests conducted by leading cancer centers proving the accuracy of the test’s results and effectiveness when determining the risk of metastasis, appropriate treatment options. These results will ultimately prove to be an invaluable asset to the healthcare system, physicians and patients that saves time, money and lives.
