Genetic and other ancillary tests can be extremely useful resources for pathologists, clinicians, and patients. There are a wide variety of tests used in cancer diagnostics, prognostics, and theranostics. For example, some can help determine whether cancer is likely to spread or which treatments are most appropriate, while others can confirm what tissue belongs to which patient in rare cases of a specimen mixup. We compiled a list of 6 reasons to use genetic tests for pathology.
Often, clinicians order molecular or other ancillary tests to get additional information after seeing the results of a patient biopsy. However, coordinating test orders and fulfillment is often fraught with logistical issues, from knowing which cases meet specific testing criteria to notifying and obtaining test orders from clinicians to getting labs to perform or send out material to be tested.
Lumea’s digital pathology platform actually facilitates the successful completion of conditional test ordering. Physicians simply input the conditions under which they would like a test ordered. If a patient’s diagnosis meets those conditions, Lumea’s system automatically submits a test order to the clinician. Once the test is approved, the lab is notified and can immediately begin processing the request.
Companies that work with Lumea report that far fewer patients fall “through the cracks” and miss the opportunity to get appropriate testing. What’s more, they got results to patients in half the time because of this expedited workflow. When patients come for a follow-up appointment, physicians can talk to them about their diagnostic and ancillary test reports simultaneously, without waiting for another appointment.
Request a demo with Lumea today to learn more about our conditional ordering capabilities.
Six reasons to use genetic and other ancillary tests:
1. Improved accuracy and early disease detection
Some genetic tests detect genetic mutations or other key biomarkers to provide more accurate diagnoses or increase the ability to detect disease.
2. Targeted and personalized treatment
Physicians can provide more targeted and personalized treatment plans for patients with the help of various molecular tests because specific biomarkers in tissue samples have been shown to identify patients most likely to respond to certain treatments.
3. Better monitoring of disease progression
Some non-invasive tests, including circulating tumor cell detection and circulating tumor DNA, can monitor disease progression and response to treatment, allowing for adjustments to treatment plans as needed.
4. Identification of genetic predisposition
Germline molecular tests can identify genetic mutations and other alterations in patients’ normal tissue that can reveal predispositions to certain diseases, allowing for early screening and prevention. These types of tests are non-invasive.
5. Identification of treatment resistance
Ancillary tests can identify genetic mutations or biomarkers associated with treatment resistance, enabling the development of alternative treatment plans.
6. Improved patient selection for clinical trials
Physicians can use genetic testing to select patients who are more likely to respond to certain treatments, improving the success rates of clinical trials. Advanced testing is becoming increasingly cost-effective, making them great adjunct and sometimes viable alternatives to traditional pathology techniques.
Overall, the use of genetic and other ancillary tests in pathology can lead to earlier disease detection, more accurate diagnoses, and more targeted treatment plans, all of which improve patient outcomes and quality of life.
Lumea’s image management software Viewer+™ includes the ability to do conditional genetic and ancillary test ordering, based on procedure type and diagnosis. A clinician can set up a trigger that alerts a pathologist to order a specific additional test when certain diagnostic conditions are met. Upon approval from the clinician and pathologist, additional testing requisitions are messaged directly to the labs holding the tissue, reducing turnaround time. Request a free demo to learn more.
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