Comprehensive Genomic Profiling for Selecting Targeted Cancer Therapies

Comprehensive genetic profiling offers the potential to evaluate a large number of genetic markers at a single time to identify cancer treatments that target specific biologic pathways. Some individual markers have established benefit in certain types of cancers; they are not addressed in this evidence review. Rather, this review focuses on "expanded" panels, which are defined as molecular panels that test a wide variety of genetic markers in cancers without regard for whether a specific targeted treatment has demonstrated benefit. This approach may result in treatment different from that usually selected for a patient based on the type and stage of cancer.