Baptist Cancer Center study identifies differences in biomarker testing for lung cancer surgery patients
MEMPHIS, Tenn., June 17, 2024 – Research from Memphis-based Baptist Cancer Center on the inequity of biomarker testing for lung cancer patients has been published in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research.
Biomarker testing determines the presence of a particular protein or gene mutation in a person’s lung cancer. It is a vital early step in matching a patient to the right treatment at the right time.
“Baptist Cancer Center research has identified the need to advocate for standardized processes to ensure all patients benefit from advancements in biomarker-directed therapies,” said Dr. Raymond Osarogiagbon, chief scientist at Baptist Memorial Health Care and director of the Multidisciplinary Thoracic Oncology Program and the Thoracic Oncology Research Group at Baptist Cancer Center. “Our research highlights the influence of institution and provider-level factors on biomarker testing rates, and we want this research to help us move toward equity in biomarker testing so optimal treatment options can be provided to all patients.”
Researchers with the Thoracic Oncology Research Group at Baptist Cancer Center and the University of Memphis School of Public Health examined the pattern of testing for the Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR) gene mutation and Programmed Death-Ligand 1 (PD-L1), two specific biomarkers which identify patients who benefit from specific, life-saving additional treatments after surgery to cure lung cancer. These tests are now recommended as part of the standard of care, based on large clinical trials published in 2020 and 2021.
The researchers examined the prevalence of testing in the Mid-South Quality of Surgical Resection cohort, a National Cancer Institute-funded observational study involving patients who had surgery to cure lung cancer at 12 hospitals in the Mid-South from 2018 to 2022. Baptist Cancer Center and the University of Memphis School of Public Health have collaborated to study this cohort for the past decade.
“This project aligns with a global push to improve biomarker testing rates in individuals with lung cancer,” said Dr. Matthew Smeltzer, associate professor of epidemiology at The University of Memphis and member of the Thoracic Oncology Research Group. “Our work in the Mid-South is at the forefront of this effort to find equitable solutions to improve the quality of care for all patients.”
Testing was significantly less common in non-teaching hospitals, non-Commission on Cancer-accredited institutions and surgeries performed by cardiothoracic or general surgeons, as opposed to dedicated thoracic surgeons.
“The good news is testing rates are rising from 11% to 38% for EGFR and 8% to 20% for PD-L1, and there were no differences on the basis of patient characteristics, such as age, sex, race, smoking history or health insurance,” said Dr. Osarogiagbon. “The bad news? There were big differences in biomarker testing rates between institutions and providers.”
The Baptist Cancer Center study established institutions and providers, not patients, as prime targets for eliminating inequities in biomarker testing, and now Baptist Cancer Center is seeking to close the quality gap through program-based care, which will help to standardize practices for testing throughout Baptist Memorial Health Care.
The American Association for Cancer Research is the world's oldest and largest professional association related to cancer research. Based in Philadelphia, the AACR focuses on all aspects of cancer research, including basic, clinical and translational research into the etiology, prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer. Founded in 1907 by 11 physicians and scientists, the organization now has more than 52,000 members in 130 countries and territories. The mission of the American Association for Cancer Research is to prevent and cure cancer through research, education, communication, collaboration, science policy and advocacy and funding for cancer research.
Baptist Cancer Center provides world-class cancer care close to home throughout Baptist Memorial Health Care’s tristate service area of Arkansas, Mississippi and Tennessee. Taking an interdisciplinary approach to patient care, Baptist Cancer Center offers treatment, research, support services, community education and the area's first genetic counseling and testing program for cancer. In addition, Baptist Cancer Center has the Mid-South's first adult myelosuppression unit, which provides specialized care for patients who have received chemotherapy that interferes with blood cell production or stops bone marrow activity. In 2014, Baptist Cancer Center was one of only 12 centers distinguished as a site to spearhead clinical research on disparities in cancer care under the National Cancer Center’s Community Oncology Research Program, known as NCORP. In 2019, Baptist Cancer Center was awarded a second $9 million research grant under NCORP to build out clinical trials infrastructure across the Mid-South. In 2020, Baptist Memorial Health Care launched the Mid-South Miracle, a multifaceted initiative aimed at reducing lung cancer deaths in the Mid-South 25% by 2030. For more information, please visit baptistcancercenter.com or follow us on Facebook.
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