Japan Precision Cancer Think Tank
2024
A key mission of the Precision Cancer Consortium’s (PCC) education and awareness workstream is to uncover the challenges faced by healthcare professionals (HCPs) when implementing Comprehensive Genomic Profiling (CGP).
The use of CGP varies by global market and in Japan CGP is ordered through approximately 280 cancer specialist hospitals.
CGP access is limited in the front-line setting for common tumors in Japan, due to inadequate or no reimbursement. In some tumors, such as lung cancer, CGP can be ordered after standard of care (SoC) treatment, in which reimbursement is typically sufficient. However, it is important to note that reimbursement is limited to one test per lifetime.
Common to other markets, Japan faces challenges with pre-analytics, sample quality, turnaround time, and report interpretation, as well as policy and regulatory hurdles. The lack of one CGP panel that can address all needs, and overall educational efforts to support effective use of CGP are also an issue.
Disclaimer: The ideas and opinions expressed by the expert participants in these recordings are their own and not the opinions of the PCC or its member companies.
What Issues Can Impact CGP Quality?
In this video, Prof Yatabe compares local experience with data published from the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) and reviews the steps along the sample journey that impacted results. He found that over 18% of samples failed due to insufficient material. Furthermore, approximately 10% of samples that did have adequate material, but could not be sequenced, failed due to the quality of DNA. Finally, about 3% of samples failed sequencing due to either insufficient or poor quality DNA.
PCC-047
May 2024
When Should You Consider Use of an RNA panel vs a DNA panel?
Here, Drs Nishihara and Yatabe discuss how RNA panels should be considered when testing tumors for fusions and skipping mutations. RNA should also be considered in cases where there are no drivers detected by DNA and when there may be major structural abnormalities, such as in pediatric tumors.
PCC-048
May 2024
How and When is CGP Most Frequently Used in Japan?
Dr Sunakawa, from St Marianna Hospital, notes here that CGP panels are most commonly used for tissue samples for gastrointestinal (GI), gynecological and breast tumors and, to a lesser extent, for urinary, head and neck, and respiratory tumors. About half of CGP panel testing requests in Japan are from St Marianna University and affiliated hospitals, with the other referrals coming from local hospitals.
PCC-049
May 2024
Hear from Experts on Access and Accessibility In Japan
This video discusses issues with the lack of full CGP coverage and the lack of access to CGP-driven clinical trials in Japan.
- In the current reimbursement scheme in Japan CGP can only be used after SoC therapies and in some cases this is too late.
- In rural areas, institutional limitations mean patients often have to make long-distance journeys to participate in clinical trials.
May 2024
Members
Disclaimer: This non-promotional meeting was organised and funded by Precision Cancer Consortium. Membership of the PCC includes pharmaceutical companies. Precision Medicine Forum was commissioned by Precision Cancer Consortium to collaborate on and support this meeting.
PCC-051
May 2024
