It’s great to be here at the American Society of Clinical Oncology’s (ASCO) Annual Meeting—I’m always impressed with the size of this meeting. It is huge!  The talks, so far, have been terrific. I continue to be amazed at the pace with which progress is being made across all aspects of cancer. It’s an exciting time to be part of cancer research and cancer care—we are truly in a transformational period of oncology.

I am the Clinical Director of Cancer Genomics at Intermountain Healthcare. We have two abstracts that have been published in conjunction with the 2015 ASCO Meeting. Both abstracts discuss the Intermountain Precision Genomics program at Intermountain Healthcare in Utah. I am enthusiastic about the positive results we have been realizing with patient outcomes.

Leveraging the advantages of the integrated healthcare system of Intermountain Healthcare, we have been able to implement a clinical cancer genomics program for advanced cancer patients within a community setting. 

We have the ability to perform next-generation sequencing (NGS) testing on tumor samples, including FFPE, fresh tissue, and plasma. We currently have the ability to test for all possible cancer mutation types and actionable copy number alterations (CNAs). We detect actionable mutations in approximately 85% of our patients and have been able to obtain targeted therapies for 80% of patients who have an actionable alteration.

After identifying actionable gene mutations, a consensus interpretation is made by a Molecular Tumor Board (MTB), which is a collaborative team of genomics experts including scientists, researchers, physicians, and oncologists located across the western United States. Intermountain Precision Genomics facilitates a weekly Molecular Tumor Board, open to providers anywhere in the country, to discuss the best course of action for each metastatic cancer patient based on their genomic findings.

Our precision genomics process, known as ICG100, also includes a drug procurement service that has successfully obtained MTB recommended precision medications for more than 80% of our patients through insurance approval, appeals processes, or clinical trials. This entire process, from NGS to precision drug recommendation and procurement, has an average 17 day turn-around time.

Through our affiliation with Intermountain Healthcare, Intermountain Precision Genomics is uniquely positioned to advance cancer research and monitor outcomes. We evaluate survival rates, quality of life, cost, and side effects. Our early findings regarding patient outcomes following the implementation of genomic medicine are reported in our published ASCO 2015 abstracts.  Formal manuscripts will be published later this summer.

Intermountain Precision Genomics is a model for genomics therapy in a cost effective, community setting. It is a model that offers improved access to precision medicine outside of academia.  I believe this genomics-based approach is a viable, and perhaps superior, option for patients with refractory metastatic cancer.

For more information, visit Booth #16153 in the Oncology Professionals Hall or precisioncancer.org

Or refer to our recently published American Society of Clinical Oncology Meeting Abstracts:

Precision medicine to improve survival without increasing costs in advanced cancer patients. (Abstract No. e17641)

Implementation of a precision cancer program in an integrated health care system. (Abstract No. e17647)