Therapeutic impact and routine application of next-generation sequencing: A single institute study

Genomic sequencing of tumor tissues provides information on actionable gene aberrations that have diagnostic and therapeutic significance and may guide clinical management through the use of targeted therapies. The indications for these techniques and their possible limitations for application in daily practice should be established as a priority. In the present study, a group of patients with few suitable therapeutic options who were eligible for a next-generation sequencing (NGS) analysis were analyzed, and the molecular targets identified and their therapeutic impact are described. A series of 26 patients treated at the Virgen Macarena Hospital for whom an NGS study was requested between January 2017 and December 2019 were reviewed. Actionable molecular alterations were identified in 20 of the cases, and 4 patients received NGS-guided treatment. NGS techniques represent a novel opportunity for guiding treatment in cancer patients. Patients with few therapeutic alternatives, either due to diagnosis, atypical evolution or resistance to standard therapy, may be suitable candidates.