C-A3-01: Current Use of KRAS Testing in Clinical Practice

Background/Aims Provisional clinical guidelines, published by the American Society of Clinical Oncology in 2009, recommend that patients with metastatic colon cancer (mCRC) be tested for mutations in the Kirsten ras (KRAS) oncogene, and that patients found to have the non mutated KRAS gene be offered anti-epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) antibody therapy. Such therapy has been shown to extend life; yet it is also expensive and frequently associated with severe side-effects. Currently, little is known about how clinicians are using KRAS testing in clinical practice. This study compares the adoption of policies for and usage of KRAS testing and anti-EGFR therapy in clinical practice among seven integrated health delivery systems. The purposes were to examine 1) physicians’ attitudes toward and experiences with KRAS testing and the communication process with their patients, 2) patients’ experiences with KRAS testing and anti-EGFR therapy and associated quality-of-life issues, and 3) the adoption of policies for KRAS testing and anti-EGFR therapy at the different health plans.