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July 18, 2024

Advancing Genomic Cancer Medicine in Rural and Underserved States

Author Affiliations
  • 1The Jackson Laboratory, Augusta, Maine
  • 2The Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine, Farmington, Connecticut
JAMA Oncol. 2024;10(9):1171-1172. doi:10.1001/jamaoncol.2024.1926

In the evolving landscape of oncology, the integration of powerful genomic technologies into practice has ushered in a new era of precision cancer medicine. Complex genomic information such as mutational analyses, transcriptional signatures, and polygenic risk scores have become key diagnostics guiding therapeutic decisions and management of inherited cancer risk. However, the expertise to interpret these data for clinical decision-making remains constrained and is a significant challenge for community oncologists, especially those in rural regions and in medically underserved areas. While physical access to these tests is readily available, poor access to interpretive expertise has become the key limiting factor. These conditions have resulted in a low level of confidence assessing genomic information and a perceived lack of access to targeted therapies among community oncologists.1

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