In Molecular Diagnostics: Cancer Diagnosis and Patient Management, experts in the field review current concepts and up-to-date techniques, delving into the appropriate use of molecular assays for different tumor types to inform diagnosis, prognosis, or treatment using evidence-based guidelines.
Lectures in this online CME course illustrate common diagnostic pitfalls, with additional focus on variant interpretation and the complexity of billing for molecular tests. It’s continuing medical education that will help you to:
- Develop appropriate tissue-handling protocols
- Evaluate cytogenetic and molecular techniques, including next generation sequencing assays
- Recognize cost-effective, time-sensitive approaches to molecular studies, including cell free DNA testing
- Determine the process of clinical interpretation of genetic variation
- Analyze costs and potential sources of revenue for molecular diagnostics programs
- Consider essential and emerging biomarkers in common adult and pediatric solid and liquid tumors
Learning Objectives
Upon completion of this activity, participants will be better able to:
- Develop appropriate tissue-handling protocols to facilitate molecular testing
- Evaluate cytogenetic and molecular techniques including different types of next generation sequencing assays
- Recognize cost-effective and time-sensitive approaches to molecular studies in cancer diagnostics, including implementation of cell free DNA testing
- Determine the process of the clinical interpretation of genetic variation
- Analyze the costs and potential sources of revenue for molecular diagnostics programs
- Consider essential and emerging molecular biomarkers in a range of common adult and pediatric solid and liquid tumors
Target Audience
This course will help pathologists, oncologists, and PhD-trained staff working in molecular diagnostic laboratories or in the pharmaceutical industry, as well as trainees in Oncology and Pathology.
TOPICS / SPEAKERS
An Introduction to Molecular Diagnostics – Fei Dong, MD
Specimen Handling for Molecular Success – Lynette M. Sholl, MD
An Introduction to Cytogenetic Techniques – Azra Ligon, PhD
Question and Answer Session – Moderator – Valentina Nardi, MD; Drs. Dong, Sholl, and Ligon
An Introduction to Next Generation Sequencing – Laura MacConaill, PhD
An Introduction to Bioinformatic Pipelines for NGS – Ryan J. Schmidt, MD, PhD
Question and Answer Session – Moderator – Valentina Nardi, MD; Drs. MacConaill and Schmidt
An Introduction to Liquid Biopsy (Cell Free DNA Sequencing) – Technical Topics – Long Phi Le, MD, PhD
An Introduction to Liquid Biopsy (Cell Free DNA Sequencing) – Clinical Applications – Giulia Siravegna, PhD
Tumor Mutation Burden and Microsatellite Instability Testing – Jonathan Nowak, MD, PhD
Question and Answer Session – Moderator – Valentina Nardi, MD; Drs. Le, and Nowak
Live Advanced Workshop: Informatics – Long Phi Le, MD, PhD
Molecular Diagnostics for Breast Cancer – Deborah Dillon, MD
Molecular Diagnostics of Gynecologic Tumors – Lauren Ritterhouse, MD, PhD
Question and Answer Session – Moderator – Lynette M. Sholl, MD; Drs. Dillon and Ritterhouse
Molecular Diagnostics of Melanoma – Ryan J. Sullivan, MD
Molecular Diagnostics of Pediatric and Rare Tumors – Valentina Nardi, MD
Metastatic Inflammatory Myofibroblastic Tumor – Alanna Church, MD and Katherine Janeway, MD, MMSc
Question and Answer Session – Moderator – Lynette M. Sholl, MD; Drs. Church, Janeway and Sullivan
Clinical Interpretation of Sequence and Copy Number Variants (Cancer NGS) – Fei Dong, MD
Clinical Interpretation for Gene Fusions – Valentina Nardi, MD
Clinical Interpretation of Germline Cancer Predisposition – Diana Mandelker, MD, PhD
Question and Answer Session – Moderator – Lynette M. Sholl, MD; Drs. Dong, Mandelker, and Nardi
Live Advanced Workshop: Fusion Interpretation – Adam Fisch, MD, PhD
Hot Topics in Myeloid Neoplasms – Valentina Nardi, MD
Hot Topics in Measurable (Minimal) Residual Disease Testing – Annette S. Kim, MD, PhD
Targetable Fusions in Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia – Marian H. Harris, MD, PhD
Question and Answer Session – Moderator – Lynette M. Sholl, MD; Drs. Harris, Nardi and Kim
Molecular Diagnostics for B-cell Lymphomas – Scott B. Lovitch, MD, PhD
Molecular Diagnostics for T-cell Lymphomas – David Weinstock, MD
Hematological Malignancy Case Presentation – Hanno Hock, MD, PhD and Valentina Nardi, MD
Question and Answer Session – Moderator – Lynette M. Sholl, MD; Drs. Lovitch, Nardi, Weinstock, and Hock
Molecular Diagnostics for Sarcomas – Adrian Marino-Enriquez, MD, PhD
Molecular Diagnostics for Gliomas – David Meredith, MD, PhD
Clinical Applications of Whole Genome DNA Methylation Profiling – Matija Snuderl, MD
Question and Answer Session – Moderator – Valentina Nardi, MD; Drs. Marino-Enriquez, Meredith, and Snuderl
Advanced Workshop: Copy Number by Microarray & NGS – Adrian Dubuc, PhD
Molecular Diagnostics for Lung Cancer – Lynette M. Sholl, MD
Molecular Diagnostics for Thyroid Cancer – Dora Dias-Santagata, PhD, FACMG
Question and Answer Session – Moderator – Valentina Nardi, MD; Drs. Dias-Santagata and Sholl
Molecular Biomarkers for GU Cancers – Atish Choudhury, MD, PhD
Molecular Diagnostics for GI Cancers – Jonathan Nowak, MD, PhD
Clinical Case Presentation and Discussion (Lung Tumor) – Mark M. Awad, MD, PhD and Lynette M. Sholl, MD
Question and Answer Session – Moderator – Valentina Nardi, MD; Drs. Awad, Sholl, Choudhury, and Nowak
Billing and Regulatory Issues – Jochen K. Lennerz, MD, PhD
Opportunities in Molecular Lab Management – Neal Lindeman, MD
Clinical Trials and Regulatory Affairs – Hetal Marble, PhD
Question and Answer Session – Moderator – Valentina Nardi, MD; Drs. Iafrate, Lennerz, Lindeman, and Marble
Date of Original Release: October 30, 2021
Termination Date: January 31, 2024
