All Patients With GI Cancers Should Undergo NGS

Video

The results of genetic testing could change a patient's treatment regimen.

Genetic alterations could mean different (and more effective) treatment choices for patients with gastrointestinal (GI) cancers, according to Tanios S. Bekaii-Saab, MD.

Bekaii-Saab, medical oncologist, and medical director of the Cancer Clinical Research Office, vice chair and section chief of Medical Oncology in the Department of Internal Medicine, at Mayo Clinic, said that all patients with GI cancers should undergo next-generation sequencing (NGS), at the very least.

Transcription

The filed of cancer overall is moving toward more universal next-generation sequencing, and even in some instances, in our institution for example, we try to get even beyond NGS to more whole-genome [sequencing].

Every colon cancer patient, every biliary cancer patient, every gastric patient, and I would argue every [pancreatic] cancer patient, and every GI cancer patient should be screened for alterations through, at least, next-generation sequencing. Why is this important? Well, it's important because of a lot of reasons. One, what's approved, and two, what's being studied.

Newsletter

Stay up to date on recent advances in oncology nursing and patient care.

Recent Videos
Photo of a woman with brown hair and a floral blouse
Photo of a woman with a blue border around the image
2 experts are featured in this series.
2 experts are featured in this series.
Image of a woman with gray hair and glasses in front of a blue Oncology Nursing News background
Photo of a woman with blond wavy hair wearing a blazer in front of a blue Oncology Nursing News background
Photo of a woman with shoulder-length blond hair in front of an Oncology Nursing News backdrop
Image of a woman with white hair in front of an Oncology Nursing News blue background
2 experts are featured in this series.
Image of a man in a suit standing in front of a blue Oncology Nursing News backdrop
Related Content