Adrian Hunis*

School of Medicine, University of Buenos Aires (UBA), Honorary Member, Argentine Medical Association (AMA), Emeritus Member of ASCO, Emeritus Member of ESMO, Argentina

*Corresponding Author: Adrian Hunis, School of Medicine, University of Buenos Aires (UBA), Honorary Member, Argentine Medical Association (AMA), Emeritus Member of ASCO, Emeritus Member of ESMO, Argentina.

Received: April 13, 2026 Published: April 28, 2026

Abstract

Despite the transformative impact of genomic profiling in oncology, a substantial proportion of cancer patients worldwide do not undergo molecular testing that could guide optimal treatment decisions [1,2]. This gap persists across tumor types and healthcare systems, including high-income countries [3,4]. The causes are multifactorial and include economic constraints, infrastructure limitations, variability in physician awareness, and systemic inequities [3,5,6]. Increasingly, failure to perform genomic testing is no longer neutral, but may represent deviation from standard-of-care.

Keywords: Oncology; Cancer

References

1. Mok TS., et al. “Osimertinib or Platinum–Pemetrexed in EGFR T790M–Positive Lung Cancer”. The New England Journal of Medicine 376 (2017): 629-640.
2. Lindeman NI., et al. “Updated Molecular Testing Guideline for the Selection of Lung Cancer Patients for Treatment With Targeted Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors: Guideline From the College of American Pathologists, the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer, and the Association for Molecular Pathology”. Journal of Thoracic Oncology 13 (2018): 323-358.
3. Mosele F., et al. “Recommendations for the use of next-generation sequencing (NGS) for patients with metastatic cancers: a report from the ESMO Precision Medicine Working Group”. Annals of Oncology 31 (2020): 1491-505.
4. Robson M., et al. “Olaparib for Metastatic Breast Cancer in Patients with a Germline BRCA Mutation”. The New England Journal of Medicine 377 (2017): 523-533.
5. VanderLaan PA., et al. Clinical Lung Cancer 19 (2018): e229-e238.
6. Malone ER., et al. “Molecular profiling for precision cancer therapies”. Genome Medicine 12 (2020): 8.
7. André T., et al. “Pembrolizumab in Microsatellite-Instability–High Advanced Colorectal Cancer”. The New England Journal of Medicine 383 (2020): 2207-2218.
8. Meric-Bernstam F., et al. “Efficacy and Safety of Trastuzumab Deruxtecan in Patients With HER2-Expressing Solid Tumors: Primary Results From the DESTINY-PanTumor02 Phase II Trial”. Journal of Clinical Oncology 34 (2016): 1236-1245.
9. Presley CJ., et al. “Association of the Overall Well-being of a Population With Health Care Spending for People 65 Years of Age or Older”. JAMA Oncology 4 (2018): e182987.
10. Rolfo C., et al. “Liquid Biopsy for Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC): A Statement Paper from the IASLC”. Journal of Thoracal Oncology 13 (2018): 1248-1268.
11. Marquart J., et al. “Estimation of the Percentage of US Patients With Cancer Who Benefit From Genome-Driven Oncology”. JAMA Oncology 4 (2018): 1093-1098.

Citation

Citation: Adrian Hunis. “Missed Opportunities in Precision Oncology: Why Are Genomic Tests Still Underused?". Acta Scientific Cancer Biology 10.3 (2026): 01-02.

Copyright

Copyright: © 2026 Adrian Hunis. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.