A new study reveals that pharmacogenomic (PGx) testing in cancer care, while potentially improving patient outcomes, faces barriers that create disparities affecting diverse populations. The paper, published February 22, 2024, in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, highlights how the current understanding of PGx in cancer treatment may be biased towards individuals of European descent.
PGx testing examines how a patient’s inherited genes affect their response to drugs. However, its adoption in oncology remains scarce, with devastating consequences. Approximately 60% of advanced cancer patients take medications with known PGx interactions, and about 1,300 people die annually from a common chemotherapy drug for which a PGx test is available.
The bias stems from clinical trial participants and genomic databases not reflecting the racial and ethnic diversity of the U.S. population or cancer patients. This disparity has implications for barriers preventing PGx testing adoption, including ambiguity in drug labeling, lack of infrastructure, insufficient education, and inadequate insurance coverage.
“No one should be disadvantaged in their cancer journey,” said Mark E. Fleury, PhD, Principal, Policy Development – Emerging Science for ACS CAN and paper co-author. “When genetic ancestry is not considered or mischaracterized in PGx discovery and application, it can contribute to disparities in outcomes across racial and ethnic categories.”
The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) released nine consensus recommendations to promote more equitable PGx discovery and implementation for cancer patients. To date, 14 states have passed biomarker coverage legislation to help reduce disparities in access to precision medicine.
See “Ensuring All Cancer Patients Can Benefit From Genetic Testing” (March 7, 2024)
