NEW YORK – Strata Oncology this week integrated its StrataNGS testing and reports with the University of Wisconsin Carbone Cancer Center and UW Health Epic genomics module. Oncologists will now be able to access genomic reports through the electronic medical records (EMR) system, which may help them more quickly identify potential treatments. The integration is also intended to help the institution expand its cancer research capabilities, as EMRs can now be searched for genomic results.
SEngine Precision Medicine said this week that it plans to improve access to its Paris test for first responders and cancer patients at the Vincere Cancer Center in Scottsdale, Arizona. Oncologists at the center will collect tumor samples from patients and send them to SEngine's lab in Seattle for analysis with the Paris test. This involves developing 3D models of patients' tumors from the submitted samples and testing the activity of up to 44 targeted drugs against the tumors using robotics, proprietary algorithms, and computational tools. Based on the results, SEngine will return to doctors a ranked list of drugs their patients are likely to respond to. The collaboration with Vincere Cancer Center was facilitated by Aspire Financial.
The Cancer Care Is Different Coalition said this week that SB 987, also known as the California Cancer Care Equity Act, is headed to Gov. Gavin Newsom's desk for his signature. If signed into law, the bill would expand Medi-Cal patients' access to experts at National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer centers and to cutting-edge cancer care, including molecularly informed precision therapies, genomic testing, and clinical trials. The California State Senate unanimously passed the bill in May, and it sailed through the California State Assembly in August. Currently, Medi-Cal recipients who want to see a doctor at an NCI-CCC must go out of network, but the bill would ensure that patients with complex tumor types have access to such experts and are given information about all their treatment options.
In Brief This Week is a selection of news items that may be of interest to our readers but had not previously appeared in Precision Oncology News.