OBJECTIVES: Advancements in tumor profiling and precision oncology via molecular testing and next-generation sequencing (NGS) are transforming cancer management by identifying actionable biomarkers allowing for the selection of optimal treatments. Understanding clinicians’ perceptions surrounding the utility of NGS testing is paramount for successful integration into clinical practice. This study aimed to elucidate the perspectives of oncologists regarding the adoption of and barriers to molecular and genetic profiling in cancer patient management.

METHODS: Survey questions were administered to U.S.-based oncologists attending an in-person forum in May 2023. Not all participants answered every question. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the results.

RESULTS: Among 56 respondents, over three-fourths (79%) cited lung cancer as the top disease state for which NGS-based testing has been most impactful for guiding 1L treatment decisions, followed by colon/rectal (59%) and breast (47%) cancers. A majority of respondents (57%) reported rarely or never initiating treatment prior to receiving molecular profiling results. The most frequently cited barriers to NGS-based testing included clinically meaningful delay in treatment initiation (65%) and results that may not be actionable (56%). Additionally, the majority of respondents (68%) reported not having access to in-house NGS testing. Half (50%) of respondents reported that increased education on genomic profiling use led to increased NGS utilization by their practice; other reported strategies included increased financial aid and reimbursement support for patients (36%), and adoption of decision support tools (25%).

CONCLUSIONS: Our findings underscore the benefit of molecular profiling in guiding treatment selection for patients with solid tumors. However, delays in NGS test result delivery and non-actionable results hinder its full integration into clinical practice. Solutions to increase testing access and education on genomic profiling will be crucial to integrating testing into precision medicine to enhance patient outcomes.