NCI COMPASS-Comprehensive Oncologic Molecular Pathology and Sequencing Service

Division Of Basic Sciences - Nci

Investigators

Linked publications, trials & patents

Abstract

The Molecular Diagnostics Section is currently the only CLIA and College of American Pathology approved clinical laboratory within the NCI certified for performing molecular oncology testing on pathology materials from NIH patients. The newly established COMPASS program is to expand next-generation sequencing to support clinical and research in CCR. In FY25 (July 2024 - June 2025), the NGS lab run 1259 TSO500, whole exome sequencing, and RNA exome sequencing tests. These results have provided support for precision pathological diagnosis and precision oncology for 96 clinical protocols from NCI and 13 protocols from NICHD, NIDDK, NINDS including CCR Rare Tumor, Liver and Prostate Cancer projects (starting October 1st, 2023, all non-NCI protocols have decreased ordering COMPASS NGS testing due to the reagent charges by CCR). We are also screening the targets in patients from CCR intramural clinics for NCI-MATCH. As a part of CCR precision medicine development, in FY25, we have continued evaluation, testing, and development of cell-free DNA extraction and cell-free circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) NGS assay web-beach process and sequencing. ctDNA NGS is almost ready to move onto pre-clinical validation phase. If the new year budget allows, the ctDNA test could be offered to test real-time patient specimens. The COMPASS program provided great opportunities of training or continuing education for both pathology and oncology teams, especially next generation of pathologists and physician scientists by running weekly NGS technical review conference, weekly molecular pathology/neuro-oncology conference, and weekly molecular pathology/pediatric oncology conference to discuss molecular finding, treatment, and beyond particular patient or mutation.