In this press release, Dr. Ibrahim comments on the utility of the new gene expression profiling test from Castle Biosciences for squamous cell carcinoma (SCC).
We are seeing so many cases each day of SCC at Rochester Dermatologic Surgery. Although most of these cancers are cured easily in our office with surgery, we know that as many as 1 in 20 of these cancers can have a bad outcome and spread to other parts of the body, such as the lymph nodes or lungs.
Although we have good staging systems to help predict which of these cancers may behave aggressively, they are population-based techniques, and there is a lot of room for improvement.
Gene expression profiling refers to testing the genes within an individual SCC to predict the biological risk of spreading (metastasis). The ability to predict this risk on an individualized level is a very novel and powerful technique to ensure that patients are not over or undertreated.
By determining which patients are at higher risk, we can increase our intensity of treatment and surveillance. Likewise, by finding that patients are at lower risk, we can minimize over-treatment.
Dr. Ibrahim has played an important role in the development of the Gene Expression Profile test, having served as a principal investigator on the associated clinical trials. Many SCC patients treated at Rochester Dermatologic Surgery undergo the test and are enrolled in ongoing clinical trials.