Sentara Molecular Laboratory chosen for National Cancer Institute treatment trials

The National Cancer Institute (NCI), part of the National Institutes of Health, has designated the Sentara Molecular Diagnostics Laboratory at Sentara Norfolk General Hospital for participation in the nationwide ComboMATCH cancer trial.

ComboMATCH is a precision medicine initiative which evaluates new anti-cancer drug combinations provided by pharmaceutical companies in groups of adults and children with solid tumors. The combinations show evidence that they may be more effective than single-drug therapies in treating certain cancers.

“Being a participating lab gives Sentara cancer patients a greater opportunity to access the ComboMATCH clinical trial,” said David Seidman, scientific director for molecular diagnostics at Sentara Health. “We received the designation in April, and we’re submitting data to oncologists for cancer patients who meet preliminary study criteria.”

The Molecular Diagnostics Lab is centralized at Sentara Norfolk General Hospital. It performs tumor gene testing (also known as next-generation sequencing) for cancer patients from Sentara’s 12 hospitals and associated medical practices. Physicians, typically oncologists, routinely order these tests to guide clinical care for their patients.

Clinical Lab Coordinator Luke Grissom removes tissue samples from the Genexus™ Integrated Sequencer in the Sentara Molecular Diagnostics Laboratory. The device is used to diagnose cancer in biopsy samples

As a designated ComboMATCH lab, Sentara is now able to inform oncologists when their patients’ tumor test results show abnormalities being targeted by the drug combinations in ComboMATCH. The designation gives patients in Virginia and northeast North Carolina greater potential to access the ComboMATCH trials.

Patients and their providers use their sequencing results from Sentara to determine if they have a potential match to an available treatment trial. If so, the next step is to enroll in the ComboMATCH Patient Registration Trial through their oncologist. This protocol assists oncology teams in making clinical assessments and assigning patients to the treatment trials if they are appropriate.

“Precision medicine” means tailoring drug treatments based on each person’s molecular characteristics, including DNA and other factors. ComboMATCH focuses on specific molecular abnormalities in tumors, which are known to drive cancer growth.

In receiving the ComboMATCH trial designation from NCI, Sentara Molecular Diagnostic Laboratories joins more than 30 commercial and academic laboratories across the U.S. which support the trial and a growing group of appropriate patients.

“We’re proud to be included as a participating laboratory in the ComboMATCH trial,” Seidman said. “This NCI designation speaks to Sentara’s commitment to quality care, clinical research, and our mission to improve health every day.”