Gene fusions are detected in 15% of metastatic cancers regardless of cancer tissue lineage. Kinase fusions make up 35% of known fusions¹ and have been targeted by several new therapies, including therapies for fusions with the neurotrophic tyrosine kinase genes (NTRK1, NTRK2, and NTRK3).
The diversity and complexity of NTRK biology has increased with frequent discovery of new fusion partners. Targetable kinase fusions show response to tyrosine kinase inhibitor, regardless of the fusion partner.2 Because NTRK fusion partners can be missed by commercially available amplicon-based NTRK detection assays3-5, comprehensive assays that detect novel fusion partners can provide value.
70% of NTRK fusion partners can be missed by commercially available amplicon assays. 3-5
Next-generation sequencing (NGS) assays that query RNA using hybrid-capture chemistry can capture novel NTRK RNA fusions. Without a priori knowledge in primer design, unknown fusion partners can be captured and sequenced—leading to new biomarker discoveries.
The number of fusion-based biomarkers and targeted therapies in cancer are consistently increasing. Iterative testing for individual biomarkers can be challenging when time and sample are limiting. By consolidating relevant biomarkers into a single test, and using hybrid-capture chemistry to enable novel fusion detection, CGP can provide significant savings in sample, time, and cost.
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RNA-based hybrid-capture NGS enables the capturing of more NTRK fusions than DNA sequencing alone, agnostic of the fusion partner. Learn how Illumina NGS technology detects more fusions, including NTRK fusions.
The Illumina TruSight Oncology Comprehensive (EU) test enables targeted therapy with Bayer's VITRAKVI® (larotrectinib) for patients with NTRK fusion cancer.
Vivek Subbiah, MD, explains how patients with rare and common tumors can benefit from next generation sequencing-based testing for NTRK gene fusions.
Illumina and Allegheny Health Network to assess the efficacy of in-house testing for both tissue and blood samples and identify instances where blood-based testing is most beneficial.