HACİ IBRAHİM PETEKKAYA, VEYSEL ATİLLA AYYİLDİZ
Eurasian Journal of Medical Investigation - 2021;5(3):347-353
Objectives: This study evaluated the clinical practices of medical oncologists in Turkey for utilization of molecular and genetic analyses in lung cancer. Methods: All medical oncologists registered to the Turkish Medical Oncology Society participated in an online survey about their practices of molecular and genetic analyses for management of lung cancer patients. Results: Participants were 189 medical oncologists. Results showed that 88.4% checked mutations in adenocancer, 75.7% checked EGFR, EML-ALK, and ROS-1 in NSCLC, 75.1% checked markers only for locally advanced/metastatic dis eases; 45% obtained results in 814 days and 31.2% in 1521 days. A positive EGFR/ALK report after initiating chemo led 68.3% to re-evaluate patient after 2/3 cycles, 20.6% to stop chemo and shift to targeted therapy and 12.2% to continue full-regimen. Of the participants, 46% requested secondary biopsy in progressions under treatment, 22.2% in young patients, 34.9% in never-smokers, 46.6% in patients testing negative but presumed to be clinically positive. Conclusion: Most medical oncologists in Turkey use molecular/genetic analyses in their clinical practice. However, the limited availability and delays in results lead oncologists to initiate treatment primarily based on clinical findings. Once these methods become widespread, targeted therapies and consequent favorable outcomes will increase in the practice of oncology.
