
Focused lung panel informs the use of targeted cancer therapies
Answers from the Lab
Molecular testing is a standard-of-care diagnostic for individuals with non-small cell lung cancer. In this test specific episode of the "Answers From the Lab" podcast, Ying-Chun Lo, M.D., Ph.D., explains how Mayo Clinic Laboratories' new MayoComplete Lung Cancer Panel updates a previous assay to better guide clinical decision-making.
"This new assay includes almost all genetic and genomic alterations that are currently associated with FDA-approved targeted therapy for lung cancer — in particular, non-small cell lung cancer," Dr. Lo says. The assay also assesses microsatellite instability, a biomarker for response to checkpoint inhibitor treatment.
The mid-sized lung panel provides more information than single-gene assays and faster results than a comprehensive solid-tumor panel covering hundreds of genes. Mayo Clinic Laboratories validated the new MayoComplete Lung Cancer Panel for use with several types of surgical and cytologic specimens.
"The panel has a very reasonable turnaround time and relatively low material requirements," Dr. Lo says. "We believe it will be the best go-to molecular test for lung cancer in daily community practice."
Listen to learn more about Mayo Clinic Laboratories' updated MayoComplete Lung Cancer Panel.
Note: Podcasts will not playback on Internet Explorer. Please use an alternative web browser, or listen from your mobile device on a preferred listening app.
Testing

MCLNG | MayoComplete Lung Cancer Panel

MCLNR | MayoComplete Lung Rearrangements
Useful information
MCLNG | MayoComplete Lung Cancer Panel
- Diagnosis and management of patients with lung cancer
- Assessment of microsatellite instability
- Validated on cytology specimens
MCLNM | MayoComplete Lung Cancer Mutations
- Diagnosis and management of patients with lung cancer
- Assessment of microsatellite instability
- Validated on cytology specimens
MCLNR | MayoComplete Lung Rearrangements
- Identifying lung tumors that may respond to targeted therapies by simultaneously assessing multiple genes involved in rearrangements resulting in fusion transcripts
- Diagnosis and management of patients with lung cancer
Specimen requirements
MCLNG | MayoComplete Lung Cancer Panel
This assay requires at least 20% tumor nuclei
- Preferred amount of tumor area with sufficient percent tumor nuclei: tissue 360mm(2)
- Minimum amount of tumor area: tissue 72mm(2)
- These amounts are cumulative over up to 15 unstained slides and must have adequate percent tumor nuclei
- Tissue fixation: 10% neutral buffered formalin, not decalcified
For specimen preparation guidance, see Tissue Requirement for Solid Tumor Next-Generation Sequencing. In this document, the sizes are given as 4mm x 4mm x 10 slides as preferred: approximate/equivalent to 144 mm(2) and the minimum as 3mm x 1mm x 10 slides: approximate/equivalent to 36mm(2).
Preferred:
- Specimen Type: Tissue block
- Collection Instructions: Submit a formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue block with acceptable amount of tumor tissue
Acceptable:
- Specimen Type: Tissue slide
- Slides: 1 Stained and 10 unstained
- Collection Instructions: Submit 1 slide stained with hematoxylin and eosin and 10 unstained, nonbaked slides wit 5-micron thick sections of the tumor tissue
Note: The total amount of required tumor nuclei can be obtained by scraping up to 10 slides from the same block
Additional Information: Unused unstained slides will not be returned
MCLNM | MayoComplete Lung Cancer Mutations
This assay requires at least 20% tumor nuclei
- Preferred amount of tumor area with sufficient percent tumor nuclei: tissue 216mm(2)
- Minimum amount of tumor area: tissue 36mm(2)
- These amounts are cumulative over up to 10 unstained slides and must have adequate percent tumor nuclei
- Tissue fixation: 10% neutral buffered formalin, not decalcified
For specimen preparation guidance, see Tissue Requirement for Solid Tumor Next-Generation Sequencing. In this document, the sizes are given as 4mm x 4mm x 10 slides as preferred: approximate/equivalent to 144 mm(2) and the minimum as 3mm x 1mm x 10 slides: approximate/equivalent to 36mm(2).
Preferred:
- Specimen Type: Tissue block
- Collection Instructions: Submit a formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue block with acceptable amount of tumor tissue
Acceptable:
- Specimen Type: Tissue slide
- Slides: 1 Stained and 10 unstained
- Collection Instructions: Submit 1 slide stained with hematoxylin and eosin and 10 unstained, nonbaked slides wit 5-micron thick sections of the tumor tissue
Note: The total amount of required tumor nuclei can be obtained by scraping up to 10 slides from the same block
Additional Information: Unused unstained slides will not be returned
- Specimen Type: Cytology slide (direct smears or ThinPrep)
- Slides: 1 to 3 Slides
- Collection Instructions: Submit 1 to 3 slides stained and cover slipped with a preferred total of 5000 nucleated cells, or a minimum of at least 3000 nucleated cells
Note: Glass coverslips are preferred; plastic coverslips are acceptable but will result in longer turnaround times
Additional Information: Cytology slides will not be returned
MCLNR | MayoComplete Lung Rearrangements
This assay requires at least 10% tumor nuclei
- Preferred amount of tumor area with sufficient percent tumor nuclei: tissue 72 mm(2)
- Minimum amount of tumor area: tissue 18 mm(2)
- These amounts are cumulative over up to 10 unstained slides and must have adequate percent tumor nuclei
- Tissue fixation: 10% neutral buffered formalin, not decalcified
Preferred:
- Specimen Type: Tissue block and cell block
- Collection Instructions: Submit a formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue block or cell block with acceptable amount of tumor tissue
Acceptable
- Specimen Type: Tissue slides
- Slides: 1 Stained and 5 unstained
- Collection Instructions: Submit 1 slide stained with hematoxylin and eosin and 5 unstained, nonbaked slides wit 5-micron thick sections of the tumor tissue
Note: The total amount of required tumor nuclei can be obtained by scraping up to 5 slides from the same block
Additional Information: Unused unstained slides will not be returned
- Specimen Type: Cytology slides (direct smears)
- Slides: 1 to 3 Slides for smears
- Collection Instructions: Submit 1 to 3 slides unstained or stained with Diff Quik or Pap and cover slipped with a preferred total of 5000 nucleated cells or a minimum of at least 3000 nucleated cells
Note: Glass coverslips are preferred; plastic coverslips are acceptable but will result in longer turnaround times
Additional Information: Cytology slides used in testing will have everything scraped and not be returned
Performance information
MCLNG | MayoComplete Lung Cancer Panel and MCLNM | MayoComplete Lung Cancer Mutations
Analytic time: 12 days
Days performed: Monday through Friday
MCLNR | MayoComplete Lung Rearrangements
Analytic time: 4 days
Days performed: Varies