DUBLIN, Ohio, May 31, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- While nearly four in 10 oncologists view precision medicine as a potential game-changer, most (57 percent) say it's too soon to predict its long-term impact, according to new research from Cardinal Health Specialty Solutions. These findings were released today in the third edition of Oncology Insights, a research-based report summarizing the views of more than 160 U.S. oncologists on the potential of precision medicine to transform cancer treatment.
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The report is released in advance of the 2018 ASCO Annual Meeting in Chicago to promote discussions on the conference theme, "Delivering Discoveries: Expanding the Reach of Precision Medicine."
Request a copy of the Oncology Insights report at www.cardinalhealth.com/oncologyinsights.
Some of the key findings in the report include:
More than a third of respondents say precision medicine will have a significant impact on oncology care within two to three years, while 57 percent say they believe it will have moderate impact.
Oncologists see several barriers to adoption including cost of the drugs (51 percent); cost of genomic testing (25 percent) and lack of decision support tools (14 percent). Also, 76 percent say more financial aid and reimbursement support is needed for patients.
About two-thirds of participating oncologists said they use genomic testing to identify the best treatment options for cancer patients, with another 25 percent saying they are likely to begin using it in the year ahead.
Availability of genomic testing and turnaround times for results vary greatly. Fifty-eight percent report that testing is not available at their local institution and 36 percent say they wait 15 days or longer for results.
Nearly six in 10 participating oncologists cited challenges in interpreting results of genomic tests. These responses reflect additional obstacles the industry may need to address when bringing new precision medicines to market.
"This report is timely in a year when the oncology community is buzzing about how precision medicines may dramatically advance care," said Joe DePinto, president of Cardinal Health Specialty Solutions. "The potential for these innovative therapies to improve outcomes is exciting, but there are many factors that will affect their commercial success. This research explores the perceptions of oncologists around the use of precision medicines and genomic testing, as well as possible barriers to adoption."
