Establishment of a Molecular Tumor Board (MTB) and Uptake of Recommendations in a Community Setting

Abstract

In the precision medicine era, molecular testing in advanced cancer is foundational to patient management. Molecular tumor boards (MTBs) can be effective in processing comprehensive genomic profiling (CGP) results and providing expert recommendations. We assessed an MTB and its role in a community setting. This retrospective analysis included patients with MTB recommendations at a community-based oncology practice January 2015 to December 2018; exclusions were death within 60 days of the MTB and/or no metastatic disease. Potentially actionable genomic alterations from CGP (immunohistochemistry, in-situ hybridization, next-generation sequencing) were reviewed bi-weekly by MTB practice experts, pathologists, genetic counselors, and other support staff, and clinical care recommendations were provided. Subsequent chart reviews determined implementation rates of recommendations. In 613 patients, the most common cancers were lung (23%), breast (19%), and colorectal (17%); others included ovarian, endometrial, bladder, and melanoma. Patients received 837 actionable recommendations: standard therapy (37%), clinical trial (31%), germline testing and genetic counseling (17%), off-label therapy (10%), subspecialty multidisciplinary tumor board review (2%), and advice for classifying tumor of unknown origin (2%). Of these recommendations, 36% to 78% were followed by the treating physician. For clinical trial recommendations (n = 262), 13% of patients enrolled in a clinical trial. The median time between CPG result availability and MTB presentation was 12 days. A community oncology-based comprehensive and high-throughput MTB provided useful clinical guidance in various treatment domains within an acceptable timeframe for patients with cancer in a large community setting.