Lung cancer biomarker testing: Perspective from Europe

Erik Thunnissen*, Birgit Weynand, Dalma Udovicic-Gagula, Luka Brcic, Malgorzata Szolkowska, Paul Hofman, Silvana Smojver-Ježek, Sisko Anttila, Fiorella Calabrese, Izidor Kern, Birgit Skov, Sven Perner, Vibeke G. Dale, Zivka Eri, Alex Haragan, Diana Leonte, Lina Carvallo, Spasenja Savic Prince, Siobhan Nicholson, Irene SansanoAles Ryska

*Corresponding author for this work

Abstract

A questionnaire on biomarker testing previously used in central European countries was extended and distributed in Western and Central European countries to the pathologists participating at the Pulmonary Pathology Society meeting 26–28 June 2019 in Dubrovnik, Croatia. Each country was represented by one responder. For recent biomarkers the availability and reimbursement of diagnoses of molecular alterations in non-small cell lung carcinoma varies widely between different, also western European, countries. Reimbursement of such assessments varies widely between unavailability and payments by the health care system or even pharmaceutical companies. The support for testing from alternative sources, such as the pharmaceutical industry, is no doubt partly compensating for the lack of public health system support, but it is not a viable or long‐term solution. Ideally, a structured access to testing and reimbursement should be the aim in order to provide patients with appropriate therapeutic options. As biomarker enabled therapies deliver a 50% better probability of outcome success, improved and unbiased reimbursement remains a major challenge for the future.

Original languageEnglish
JournalTranslational Lung Cancer Research
Volume9
Issue number3
Pages (from-to)887-897
Number of pages11
ISSN2218-6751
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 01.06.2020

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