Predictive molecular pathology in the time of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Europe

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2021

Authors

Malapelle, U (Author) Other; Pisapia, P (Author) Other; Iaccarino, A (Author) Other; Barberis, M (Author) Other; Bellevicine, C (Author) Other; Brunnstrom, H (Author) Other; de Biase, D (Author) Other; De Maglio, G (Author) Other; Lindquist, KE (Author) Other; Fassan, M (Author) Other; Fontanini, G (Author) Other; Gruppioni, E (Author) Other; Hofman, P (Author) Other; Merkelbach Bruse, S (Author) Other; Vila, MAM (Author) Other; Pujals, A (Author) Other; Rapa, I (Author) Other; Righi, L (Author) Other; Rosell, R (Author) Other; Schildgen, O (Author) Other; Schildgen, V (Author) Other; Fernando Schmitt (Author) FMUP; Tallini, G (Author) Other; Vander Borght, S (Author) Other; Vigliar, E (Author) Other; Volante, M (Author) Other; Wagener Ryczek, S (Author) Other; Weynand, B (Author) Other; Troncone, G (Author) Other

Journal

Title: JOURNAL OF CLINICAL PATHOLOGY

Vol. 74

Pages: 391-395

ISSN: 0021-9746

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 14 Citations

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-00T-92Y

DOI: 10.1136/jclinpath-2020-206957

Abstract (EN): Aims Lung cancer predictive biomarker testing is essential to select advanced-stage patients for targeted treatments and should be carried out without delays even during health emergencies, such as the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. Methods Fifteen molecular laboratories from seven different European countries compared 4 weeks of national lockdown to a corresponding period in 2019, in terms of tissue and/or plasma-based molecular test workload, analytical platforms adopted, number of cases undergoing programmed death-ligand1 (PD-L1) expression assessment and DNA-based molecular tests turnaround time. Results In most laboratories (80.0%), tissue-based molecular test workload was reduced. In 40.0% of laboratories (6/15), the decrease was >25%, and in one, reduction was as high as 80.0%. In this instance, a concomitant increase in liquid biopsy was reported (60.0%). Remarkably, in 33.3% of the laboratories, real-time PCR (RT-PCR)-based methodologies increased, whereas highly multiplexing assays approaches decreased. Most laboratories (88.9%) did not report significant variations in PD-L1 volume testing. Conclusions The workload of molecular testing for patients with advanced-stage lung cancer during the lockdown showed little variations. Local strategies to overcome health emergency-related issues included the preference for RT-PCR tissue-based testing methodologies and, occasionally, for liquid biopsy.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 5