Every cancer is unique. Let’s treat it that way.

This sentiment is shared by millions of patients diagnosed with cancer every year. Although McClure’s sentiment is not unique, the genomic profile of her tumour is. The same is true for every cancer patient, and may hold the key to understanding—and treating a patient’s disease. That’s why more and more physicians and patient advocates are insisting that testing be the first step in the journey of every person diagnosed with cancer.

In recent years, we have seen huge advances in the amount of genomic data we can get from testing a tumour, data which helps us understand what makes cancers grow. These insights mean that treatment could be tailored to the unique profile of each individual’s tumour, and importantly, help patients avoid potentially unnecessary treatments.1

Comprehensive genomic profiling (CGP) is a specific type of genomic testing, that provides a more complete picture of a cancer tumour by searching for multiple mutations in a large number of cancer-related genes. The comprehensive nature of CGP increases the likelihood of finding cancer-causing mutations for which targeted therapies or immunotherapies exist.2,3 CGP is also being used in a growing number of clinical trials, increasing the speed and efficacy of potentially life-saving research.

“The one-size-fits-all approach to healthcare no longer cuts it, and it's time for people to understand that in order to get targeted treatments tailored uniquely to them, they have to do some form of genomic testing,” says McClure, who has devoted her life to better educating the public about genomics.

The need for such education is clear. But despite its benefits, patients’ understanding of genomic testing is severely lacking. In a recent international public awareness survey, only two out of five respondents were familiar with the term “genomic testing,” and only a third would definitely ask their physician about it if they were to get sick.4

The availability of genomic testing is potentially game changing for many people with cancer. And for particular groups of patients, it really changes the playing field entirely. Patients with certain rare genomic abnormalities, who previously had limited or no available treatment options, are now able to explore a whole new range of possibilities based on one comprehensive test.

We already know that some rare gene fusions such as NTRK and ROS1 are present in a broad range of tumours, including sarcoma, triple negative breast cancer, head and neck, salivary gland, bladder and lung, to name a few.5,6,7 Ten or 15 years ago, it would have been very difficult – like finding a needle in a haystack – to give people with tumours harbouring these rare gene fusions a targeted treatment. With advances in the development of targeted treatments and cancer genomic testing, doctors can now prescribe a treatment specific to the patient’s unique cancer.

So what can be done to empower patients to ask their doctor about cancer genomic testing: to know how it works, the valuable information it can provide, and to understand whether it would be suitable for them? David LeDuc, Chief Growth Officer at the GO2 Foundation, insists that everyone in the healthcare community must play a part. “I think it's going take all of us continually talking about the power of genomic testing in advancing personalised health care, and more importantly the impact it can have on a patient's life, to get us to where we need to be.”

We at Roche agree that education plays a key role in advancing cancer care. That’s why we’re raising awareness around cancer genomic testing with educational activities—beginning with our two patient stories, Debbie and Jamal, who each have rare mutations in their DNA that were identified through CGP. We encourage you to use the hashtag #PutCancerToTheTest on social media to tell us what you want to know about cancer genomic testing, or if you or someone you know has been affected by cancer.

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Hear from two individuals diagnosed with cancer - Debbie and Jamal, who each have rare mutations in their DNA that were identified through comprehensive genomic profiling.