Testing for gene mutations linked to cancer risk may guide how a patient is treated, but the determination of whether a mutation is dangerous or benign can vary from lab to lab, according to a recent study.
Analyzing results from different labs, researchers found that their identification of mutations as “pathogenic,” “uncertain” or “benign” differed in 26 percent of cases.
There are guidelines for classifying gene variants, but interpreting the guidelines can vary by lab or provider, the authors write in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
