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P. Aftimos MD

Articles

Molecular test algorithms for breast tumours

BJMO - volume 13, issue 2, march 2019

A. Hébrant PhD, K. Punie MD, PhD, F.P. Duhoux MD, PhD, C. Colpaert MD, PhD, G. Floris MD, PhD, K. Lambein MD, PhD, P. Neven MD, PhD, M. Berlière MD, PhD, R. Salgado MD, PhD, M. Chintinne MD, PhD, K. Dahan MD, PhD, S. Dedeurwaerdere MD, J. De Grève MD, PhD, A. de Leener MD, PhD, H. Denys MD, PhD, R. de Putter MD, PhD, L. Desmyter PhD, M. Baldewijns MD, PhD, D. Feret MD, C. Fontaine MD, C. Galant MD, PhD, P. Hilbert PhD, J. Janssens MD, PhD, D. Larsimont MD, PhD, P. Lefesvre MD, PhD, T. Sticca PhD, M-D. Tkint de Roodenbeke MD, G. Van Den Eynden MD, PhD, I. Vanden Bempt PhD, C. Van den Broecke MD, I. Vandernoot MD, C. Sotiriou MD, PhD, J. van Dorpe MD, PhD, H.A. Poirel MD, PhD, E. Van Valckenborgh PhD, G. Raicevic PhD, M. Van den Bulcke PhD, P. Aftimos MD

SUMMARY

In order to advise the Federal Government on all matters related to personalised medicine in oncology, including the reimbursement of molecular tests, the Commission of Personalized Medicine (ComPerMed) has applied, for the breast tumours, the same methodology as previously applied for the digestive tumours. Meaning, the different molecular tests, represented in the shape of algorithms, are annotated with test levels — which aim to reflect their relevance based on current available data and to define the reimbursement — and are documented with recent literature, guidelines and a brief technical description.

(BELG J MED ONCOL 2019;13(2):40–45)

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Precision medicine in breast cancer: current practice and perspectives

BJMO - 12, issue 3, february 2018

P. Aftimos MD

Summary

Just to set the scene: precision, or personalized medicine, is an approach to patient care that allows physicians to select treatments that are most likely to help their patients based on a genomic characterization of the disease, the environment and the way of life of the patient.

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The Belgian next generation sequencing guidelines for haematological and solid tumours

BJMO - volume 11, issue 2, march 2017

A. Hébrant PhD, G. Froyen PhD, B. Maes MD, PhD, R. Salgado MD, PhD, M. Le Mercier PhD, N. D’Haene MD, PhD, S. De Keersmaecker PhD, K. Claes PhD, J. Van der Meulen PhD, P. Aftimos MD, J. Van Houdt PhD, K. Cuppens MD, K. Vanneste PhD, E. Dequeker PhD, S. Van Dooren PhD, J. Van Huysse MD, F. Nollet PhD, S. Van Laere PhD, B. Denys MD, V. Ghislain , C. Van Campenhout PhD, M. Van den Bulcke PhD

SUMMARY

Targeted next generation sequencing is a complex procedure including the ‘wet bench’ and ‘dry bench’ parts. Both parts are composed of many steps for which optimal assay conditions and settings must be determined.

The aim of these guidelines is to provide generic, platform independent, recommendations for targeted next generation sequencing tests to detect acquired somatic mutations in DNA, in (haemato)-oncology that are complementary to the ISO 15189 norm (medical laboratories) in order to:

  1. facilitate the implementation of the required quality metrics for the detection of somatic variants by next generation sequencing in oncology and haemato-oncology in the Belgian laboratories,
  2. harmonise test validation and verification,
  3. harmonise clinical interpretation and reporting of variants and,
  4. assure and maintain optimal test performance by establishing procedures and modalities for internal quality control and external quality assessments.

(BELG J MED ONCOL 2017;11(2):56–67)

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