External quality assessment (EQA) for tumor mutational burden: results of an international IQN path feasibility pilot scheme Tumor mutational burden (TMB) has recently been approved as an agnostic biomarker for immune checkpoint inhibitors. However, methods for TMB testing have not yet been standardized. The International Quality Network for Pathology (IQNPath) organized a pilot external quality read more…
Category Archives: News
NordiQC EQA Data and Observations for PD-L1 Biomarker Testing
NordiQC EQA Data and Observations for PD-L1 Biomarker Testing By Søren Nielsen, Director, NordiQC Immune-checkpoint inhibitors targeting PD-1 or PD-L1 as pembrolizumab, nivolumab, durvalumab and atezolizumab have since 2016 been approved for multiple cancers as lung carcinoma, urothelial carcinoma, melanoma, breast carcinoma and many other solid cancers. At present Immunohistochemistry (IHC) for PD-L1 expression is read more…
Tumor mutation burden testing: a survey of the International Quality Network for Pathology (IQN Path)
Tumor mutation burden testing: a survey of the International Quality Network for Pathology (IQN Path) Fenizia, F., Wolstenholme, N., Fairley, J.A. et al. Virchows Arch (2021). You can access the article here: https://rdcu.be/ciMl7 Abstract While tumour mutation burden (TMB) is emerging as a possible biomarker for immune-checkpoint inhibitors (ICI), methods for testing have not been standardised as yet. read more…
Unlocking the potential of precision medicine in Europe – Improving cancer care through broader access to quality biomarker testing
Advances in biomarker testing are having a transformative impact on cancer care, but Europe will have to overcome significant barriers in the equitable access and quality of these tests to realise their full potential, concludes an important new study released by the International Quality Network for Pathology (IQN Path), the European Cancer Patient Coalition (ECPC) and the read more…
IQN Path / EFPIA aim to raise awareness about biomarker testing in Europe and develop policy recommendations to improve access and quality
The project, launched in November 2019, was carried out throughout 2020, sometimes slowing the development, but steadily progressing, and will yield outstanding results that we are looking forward to sharing with you toward the end of February. The study was carefully devised and produced detailed results based on sound data collected from all stakeholders. We read more…
Development of EQA for fusion gene testing
Targeted therapies available for the treatment of cancer are increasingly being considered as standards of care in routine clinical practice. These therapies, such as Crizotinib for non-small cell lung cancer and Cextuximab for colorectal cancer are recommended for single tumour types. However, third generation therapies targeting fusion genes have received licensing approval and are being read more…
Expression of interest to develop an EQA for cfDNA multi-target testing
UPDATE: The deadline is passed (21 February). For further information, please contact executive@iqnpath.org IQN Path invites expressions of interest from all EQA provider members to collaborate to develop and deliver EQA to assess the standard of testing circulating free tumour DNA (cfDNA) for multiple biomarkers in plasma. The first IQN Path supported activity was a collaboration read more…
New article: Biomarker testing in oncology
Biomarker testing in oncology – Requirements for organizing external quality assessment programs to improve the performance of laboratory testing: revision of an expert opinion paper on behalf of IQNPath ABSL In personalized medicine, predictive biomarker testing is the basis for an appropriate choice of therapy for patients with cancer. An important tool for laboratories to read more…
Update on the project Tumor Mutation Burden (TMB): from Recommendations for Testing to EQA Schemes
Conflicting results have been reported on the potential role of Tumor Mutational Burden (TMB) as predictive biomarker for immune checkpoint inhibitors. However, the recent approval of TMB as agnostic biomarker for pembrolizumab in previously treated patients with solid tumors is increasing the interest of laboratories to provide this test. In this scenario, the harmonization of read more…
Welcome back to NordiQC. Now offers PD-L1 IHC Fit-For-Purpose Proficiency Testing
PD-L1 IHC testing has a significant impact on patient eligibility for tailored specific immune oncology and require high diagnostic accuracy. This also underlines the need of appropriate EQA methods to evaluate the performance of PD-L1 IHC testing among the participating laboratories. At present, PD-L1 IHC testing is based on the “3D-approach” aligning Drug, Disease and read more…