Texas Oncology announced that it has entered into an agreement with Foundation Medicine, a pioneer in molecular profiling for cancer, to provide Texas Oncology care teams with access to its Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved blood-based comprehensive genomic profiling (CGP) test, FoundationOne®Liquid CDx, according to a news release.
From a simple blood draw, the test provides comprehensive biomarker testing for all solid tumors to support oncology providers with targeted treatment planning for their patients. With this agreement in place, Foundation Medicine’s liquid biopsy and solid tumor molecular profile tests are now available for order through Texas Oncology’s precision oncology clinical pathways tool.
“Many patients with the most common form of lung cancer, known as non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), do not have adequate tissue available for the recommended biomarker testing,” said Lori Brisbin, Vice President for Texas Oncology’s Precision Medicine Program. “Liquid biopsies are an increasingly important option for those patients for whom tissue is not available for complete genomic profiling. For some patients, getting a tissue biopsy is not an option due to tumor location or the patient’s health status, or a patient may simply prefer not to have an additional invasive procedure. Even when the tissue biopsy is available, it may not be accessible for testing. Blood-based biomarker testing options can help to expand access to these actionable genomic insights in patients with advanced cancer.”
“At Foundation Medicine, we recognize the critical need for genomic testing options to support treatment planning in each patient’s unique circumstance. When tumor tissue is not available or adequate, our liquid biopsy test can provide oncologists with the insights needed to implement precision treatment strategies across all cancer types,” said Geoff Oxnard, MD, Thoracic Oncologist and Vice President, Head of Clinical Development at Foundation Medicine. “We are committed to expanding precision medicine to cancer patients in the community and are proud to collaborate with Texas Oncology as it works to set the standard around the pathways needed to enable informed decisions about biomarker-driven care.”
“Texas Oncology is committed to delivering leading-edge cancer care to patients no matter where they live. That commitment includes access to sophisticated testing that helps guide our providers in making important treatment decisions. This agreement with Foundation Medicine furthers that commitment and makes this testing available and accessible to more cancer patients,” said Steven Paulson, MD, President and Chairman of Texas Oncology.
