Due to a new collaboration between the UW Carbone Cancer Center and the Strata Oncology clinical trial, patients whose cancers have spread and are incurable by standard treatments are eligible for free genetic testing. 

The Strata Oncology trial is available to patients being treated at UW Carbone Cancer Center who have advanced malignant solid tumors, incurable lymphoma and certain rare cancers. 

“This is a win-win for our patients and physicians,” said Mark Burkard, MD, PhD, associate professor, Hematology, Medical Oncology and Palliative Care. 

“Once we know the mutations in their cancer, we can refer their cases to our Precision Medicine Molecular Tumor Board. If there is a matching investigational drug that looks promising for their mutation, we will refer the patient to the relevant basket study. They and their doctors could also use their genomic information for standard drugs.” 

Strata Precision Oncology Network is a collaboration platform that aims to match cancer patients with relevant clinical trials. 

The network offers advanced solid tumor and lymphoma patients profiling and matching to a portfolio of biomarker-matched clinical trials sponsored by pharmaceutical firms. 

“We are pleased that this clinical trial will allow us to offer routine, no-cost tumor sequencing to patients with advanced cancer,” said Dr. Burkard.

Resources:

• "Carbone Cancer Center Offers Free Genetic Testing for Patients with Advanced Cancer," UW Health, January 22, 2018
• "UW Carbone Cancer Center offers genetic testing in a trial for advanced cancer patients," WISC-TV, January 22, 2018
• "5 delivery systems join effort to match cancer patients with trials," Health Data Management, December 15, 2017