The multicenter study will evaluate proactive outreach to at-risk relatives and the impact of multigene panel testing on patient care.
Labcorp is collaborating with the Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology on a national, multicenter clinical trial to improve genetic testing rates for colorectal cancer (CRC). The trial aims to increase germline genetic testing among at-risk family members and evaluate the clinical impact of multigene panel testing for newly diagnosed patients.
Inherited genetic variants contribute to approximately 10% of all CRC cases, according to a Labcorp press release. While cascade testing—the testing of family members of individuals with an inherited cancer-associated variant—is a recognized method for cancer prevention, research indicates that fewer than one-third of at-risk relatives receive recommended testing.
The trial will investigate whether proactive outreach by healthcare providers improves participation among first-degree relatives compared to traditional patient-led communication. Labcorp will serve as the exclusive provider, utilizing its Invitae testing services.
“Genetic testing is a critical tool for identifying inherited cancer risk and guiding care for patients and their families, but too often at-risk relatives are not getting tested,” says Shakti Ramkissoon, MD, PhD, vice president, medical lead for oncology at Labcorp, in a release. “By supporting this trial and serving as the exclusive genetic testing provider, Labcorp is helping generate real-world evidence on how healthcare providers can connect families to genetic testing and follow-up care.”
The National Cancer Institute (NCI) is sponsoring the trial, which is led by the Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology. The study involves the NCI National Clinical Trials Network, which includes academic medical centers, community oncology health systems, and NCI-designated cancer centers across the US and Puerto Rico.
In addition to cascade testing, the research will assess the clinical impact of multigene panel testing on care for patients newly diagnosed with CRC.
“By involving cancer care providers across our network, this study aims to evaluate a practical approach that can strengthen genetic risk identification for patients and their families,” says Frank A Sinicrope, MD, and Heather Hampel, MS, CGC, co-lead investigators for the trial, in a release. “The findings have the potential to help shape how genetic testing results are communicated to at-risk relatives in patients with colorectal cancer who have hereditary cancer syndromes nationwide.”
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