NCI-MATCH trial reveals actionable mutations and matches cancer patients to targeted therapies

Thursday, February 11, 2021

The NCI-MATCH trial was designed to reveal mutations in underexplored cancer types, allowing researchers to match patients to appropriate targeted therapies.

Study investigator Alice P. Chen, MD, from the National Cancer Institute, reviews the goals and results of NCI-MATCH with host David H. Henry, MD, in this episode.

Trial details

  • NCI-MATCH has more than 1,000 participating sites.
  • The trial is open to patients with advanced cancers that have progressed on standard treatment or rare cancers for which there is no standard treatment.
  • Investigators use next-generation sequencing to identify mutations in tumor biopsies taken before the start of therapy.
  • Sequencing is performed at MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston; Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston; MoCha at NCI’s Frederick (Md.) National Lab; Yale University, New Haven, Conn.; and commercial labs.

Matching patients to treatment

  • When a patient is found to have an actionable mutation, that patient is assigned to an investigational treatment, typically monotherapy.
  • A patient cannot be assigned to a treatment that is already known to be effective against their cancer; for example, patients with BRAF-mutated melanoma were excluded.
  • The NCI’s Cancer Therapy Evaluation Program sends the patient's targeted therapy to the participating site within 24 hours of notification.
  • CT imaging is done prior to the start of treatment, and patients are monitored with repeat scans every two cycles.

Results

Future directions

Show notes written by Sheila DeYoung, DO, a resident at Pennsylvania Hospital, Philadelphia.

Disclosures

Dr. Chen and Dr. Henry have no conflicts of interest.

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