Camille Hertzka, vice president, head of oncology, US Medical, AstraZeneca, discusses why it is important to test for HRR gene mutation status and appropriateness of olaparib use in patients with metastatic castrate-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC).
Camille Hertzka, vice president, head of oncology, US Medical, AstraZeneca, discusses why it is important to test for HRR gene mutation status and appropriateness of olaparib use in patients with metastatic castrate-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC).
Transcript
What are some common challenges when testing patients with mCRPC for HRR gene mutation status and olaparib?
The approval of olaparib in metastatic castrate-resistant prostate cancer [mCRPC] was in 2020 for patients harboring an HRR gene mutation; it was based on the PROfound study and has been really practice changing. The approval at the time led to a lot of excitement, as it was the introduction of precision medicine in prostate cancer. So that was really a new concept, especially in the advanced setting. And especially that was very important as it led to meaningful improvement for patients with this HRR mutation gene status.
HRR gene status can be done through 2 different approaches: It can be done through tissue or it can be done through blood. And when it’s done with blood, we use technology, which is called ctDNA [circulating tumor DNA] testing, which has a very strong advantage, especially for patients where archival tissue is not accessible or when the tissue biopsy is challenging to obtain. For example, with some patients with bone [metastasis], it’s not always easy to obtain a tissue biopsy. But with ctDNA, really that became much more easy to obtain samples and to do testing as well.
So we see both testing through tissue and through blood with ctDNA, depending on the situation. We also know that testing beyond informing for the PROfound regimen ... is very important to help inform patients on their overall prognostic and finding out risks, as we know that recommendation especially can be associated with finding out a risk.
Dr Dalia Rotstein: Physicians Must Be Aware MS Affects People of All Backgrounds
April 24th 2024Dalia Rotstein, MD, MPH, emphazises the importance of awareness that multiple sclerosis (MS) impacts patients from various backgrounds as clinicians think through ways to improve access to care and research efforts in MS.
Read More
Examining Low-Value Cancer Care Trends Amidst the COVID-19 Pandemic
April 25th 2024On this episode of Managed Care Cast, we're talking with the authors of a study published in the April 2024 issue of The American Journal of Managed Care® about their findings on the rates of low-value cancer care services throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
Listen
Empowering Community Health Through Wellness and Faith
April 23rd 2024To help celebrate and recognize National Minority Health Month, we are bringing you a special month-long podcast series with our Strategic Alliance Partner, UPMC Health Plan. In the third episode, Camille Clarke-Smith, EdD, MS, CHES, CPT, discusses approaching community health holistically through spiritual and community engagement.
Listen
Beyond Insulin: The Impact of Next-Generation Diabetes Technology
April 17th 2024Experts explain how new diabetes technologies like continuous glucose monitors are transforming care beyond intensive insulin therapy, offering personalized insights and improving outcomes for patients of all treatment levels.
Read More