Comprehensive Cancer Gene Panels Now Available in CHOP’s Division of Genomic Diagnostics

The Division of Genomic Diagnostics at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia has launched a series of hereditary and somatic cancer gene panels to facilitate a precision medicine approach to cancer diagnostics. Genetic alterations identified by these panels will allow diagnosis, determine prognosis, stratify patient risk, inform treatment decisions, and evaluate patients’ eligibility for clinical trials. 

The CHOP comprehensive hereditary cancer panels reveal the presence of genetic predisposition to many types of cancer. The largest panel analyzes 128 genes known to be associated with risk of either pediatric or adult-onset cancers. Individual disease panels are available that detect gene mutations for 12 specific groups of hereditary cancers. These tumors can manifest both in the pediatric and adult populations, such as brain tumors, as well as adult-onset tumors such as high-risk breast cancer and colorectal cancers.

CHOP’s somatic panels can be used to molecularly profile a tumor, which will facilitate diagnosis and treatment. Available somatic panels include the hematologic cancer panel, the solid tumor panel and the gene-fusion panel.

The gene-fusion panel targets 106 genes with the ability to identify more than 500 unique fusion proteins. This technology will allow detection of both known and novel fusions. CHOP’s somatic panels can also be utilized for research and pharmacogenomics applications.

The Division of Genomic Diagnostics offers gene testing for all types of cancer, but with a pediatric focus, building on the expertise of our clinicians and vast experience in pediatric oncology, genetics and pathology. Our team members have expertise in the most rare and complex pediatric cancers and are available to discuss results in depth.

For more information contact Jason Roberts, Outreach Manager, Division of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, at 215-590-0637 or robertsj1@email.chop.edu.

For media inquiries, please contact John Ascenzi, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, at 267-426-6055 or ascenzi@email.chop.edu.