Consideration for Multigene Panel Testing Outside of Cancer-Specific Genetic Testing.

This article evaluates the effectiveness of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) guidelines in identifying patients with pathogenic variants (PVs) linked to hereditary cancer syndromes through multigene panel testing. Reviewing 116 patient records from a Midwestern U.S. hospital who underwent an 84-gene cancer panel, the study found that while most patients with PVs met NCCN criteria for hereditary breast cancer or Lynch syndrome, 15% had PVs despite not meeting any testing guidelines. The findings highlight the importance of multigene panel testing in detecting actionable PVs beyond the specific syndromes for which patients were initially tested, suggesting that NCCN guidelines should continue to evolve to improve identification of at-risk individuals. The study underscores the role of nurses and healthcare providers in advocating for comprehensive genetic testing to enhance early cancer detection and management.