Genomic testing has become standard of care as part of the diagnostic pathway or in the personalisation of treatment planning in many cancers. As a result, clinical teams are receiving more complex information to interpret and use to incorporate into a patient’s optimal treatment.
Healthcare professionals are welcome to join a bi-weekly meeting to share and discuss genomic reports, both from tissue and liquid biopsies. The meeting will bring together our clinical scientist team from the Genomic Medicines Service (GMS) with clinical genetics expertise and the clinical team caring for their patients.
This forum aims to support you in interpreting the complex genomic information correctly, identify any possible germline findings that may impact on both the patient and their families and to provide a forum to learn together as a team in the increasing complex world of genomic testing.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What is a GTAB?
The GTAB is a bi-weekly virtual (Teams) meeting that is open to clinicians across the region to share and discuss genomic reports, both from tissue and liquid biopsies and from patients who have had whole genome sequencing. The meeting will bring together our clinical scientist team from the Genomic Medicines Service (GMS) with clinical genetics expertise and the clinical team caring for their patients.
Who should attend?
Anyone who is involved in the management of patients with cancer and who wishes to gain more experience in the genomic landscape that is ‘personalised medicine’. This may include surgeons, physicians, cancer nurse specialists, genomic/cancer navigators, pathologists, clinical scientist teams, clinical genetics teams, oncologists and trainees from all disciplines.
When are the meetings?
Alternate Fridays 2pm – 3pm on Microsoft TEAMS
Please contact rduh.swgmsgtab@nhs.net to be added to the meeting invitation.
Which patients can be discussed?
Patients who have been diagnosed with a cancer and have had genomic testing as part of their diagnostic or treatment pathway. Genomic testing methods include both liquid (ctDNA) reports, tissue genomic reports and patients who have had whole genome sequencing. The meeting is focused on cases that the clinical team attending would like guidance on with interpreting the genomic results to correctly manage their patients. We aim to support clinical teams in identifying correct treatments and potential clinical trials.
How do we add a patient for discussion?
Please email rduh.swgmsgtab@nhs.net to add a patient for discussion at the next meeting. We are keen to encourage teams to submit the attached proforma with the request for discussion and the genomic report for discussion. This will help us to prepare for the meeting as well as collecting data from the meetings and allow us to develop the agenda and meetings over time.
Is there a cut off time to add patients?
The meeting is bi-weekly to support timely discussion and reduce delays for the patients. It is helpful for the GMS team to have sight of the reports before the meeting if possible. If requests for discussion can be made by 5pm on the Wednesday before the meeting that would be helpful. We would however encourage teams to bring cases on the day if they have not been able to submit the information earlier.
Do I need to be present for a patient to be discussed?
It is important that someone from the clinical team is available to present the clinical case at the meeting and take learnings back to the wider local team. The proforma can assist teams in having the right information to support discussion at the meeting. If however, teams cannot attend then we would encourage teams to submit a completed request form, with the clinical question and genomic report.
What about if I have an urgent question about a report/patient in between meetings?
The GMS team are available for clinical teams to reach out to for patient related questions to support best patient care. The following contact information is also available on the SW GMS website Contact us – South West Genomic Medicine Service
Bristol Genetics Laboratory: SWGLHenquiries@nbt.nhs.uk
Will there be a formal outcome from the meeting?
This is an advisory forum to support clinical teams with interpreting genomic reports. As a result of this conversation an outcome form will be generated during the meeting and shared with the referring clinician or nominated trust lead.
How do I give feedback on the meetings?
We welcome any feedback on the meetings. Our aim is to increase access to information, reduce variation in practice for our patients and embed the genomic conversation into our daily cancer practice. Please email any comments or suggestions to rduh.swgmsgtab@nhs.net.