Four in five cancer patients needing molecular tests
A new Lancet Oncology Commission report reveals that four out of five cancer patients who require molecular testing do not receive it. This gap prevents patients from accessing precision medicine tailored to the specific genetic features of their tumors.
Why it matters
The lack of access to biomarker testing significantly hinders the effectiveness of modern cancer treatments and highlights global health inequities.
Health: Four in five cancer patients needing molecular tests
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Four in five cancer patients needing molecular tests miss out, report finds
The findings raise concerns about the ability of health systems to accurately characterise cancers and match patients to treatments that could work for the molecular features of their disease.
World Cancer Congress in Hong Kong, 2026. (Courtesy)
Millions of cancer patients worldwide risk having their disease insufficiently characterised or receiving treatment without crucial molecular information because most patients who need molecular testing do not receive it, a new Lancet Oncology Commission has found.
The Commission estimates that between seven and eight million cancer patients require standard-of-care molecular testing every year to help guide diagnosis and treatment, but about four in five of those who need biomarker testing do not receive it.
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