ASCO has issued an updated policy statement on genetic and genomic testing for cancer susceptibility. Published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, the statement reviews the ways in which new technologies are transforming the assessment and identification of inherited cancer susceptibility, and makes a series of recommendations for the optimal deployment of these technologies in oncology practice.

“The sequencing and mapping of the human genome, one of science’s greatest modern feats, has launched an age of tremendous discovery and hope in the fight against cancer,” said ASCO President Julie M. Vose, MD, MBA, FASCO. “As cancer diagnosis and treatment is becoming more genetically driven, new opportunities and questions are emerging about screening for hereditary cancers. ASCO is releasing this updated policy statement at this critical juncture to ensure that all interested parties thoughtfully consider these concerns as the future of genetic and genomic testing for cancer susceptibility unfolds.”

Powerful technologies have emerged to help identify inherited genetic mutations that increase an individual’s risk to develop cancer and, for individuals who have cancer, help identify tumor mutations that are associated with response to specific therapeutic agents. (As many as 10% of all cancers may be associated with an inherited mutation that contributes to cancer development.)

Genetic and genomic testing has become a major area of oncology research and therapy development, with the ultimate goal of improving patient outcomes. But, as ASCO notes in its updated statement, “New technology is introducing great complexity,” and presenting significant implications for patients, providers, policymakers, and the entire health care system.

One such technology is next-generation sequencing (NGS), which permits the cataloging of DNA sequence variations within a patient’s cancer much more quickly and at a lower cost than traditional methods. When applied to tumors, somatic mutation profiling by NGS can identify therapeutic targets and improve patient outcomes when specific therapies are directed at those targets. At the same time, NGS can identify germ-line mutations, variations that are inherited and transmitted to offspring, challenging current cancer care practices of counseling and testing for inherited cancer susceptibility.

“Current cancer diagnosis and treatment is now tightly linked to our expanded understanding of what is happening at the genetic level of cancer,” said Mark E. Robson, MD, Chair of ASCO’s Ethics Committee and lead author of the ASCO policy statement. “As this promising field moves forward, we must ensure that providers are well versed in the diagnostic and treatment options available, that patients have access to genetic testing that identifies hereditary risk, and that these tests have appropriate regulatory oversight.”

Read ASCO’s full policy statement here.