Lucence’s LiquidHALLMARK^®, in collaboration with Mayo Clinic Laboratories, offers noninvasive testing for actionable mutations. Traditional approaches relying solely on circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) can miss critical treatment opportunities. In a recent webinar, Matthew Binnicker, Ph.D., chief scientific officer for Mayo Clinic Laboratories, and Min-Han Tan, M.B.B.S., FRCP, Ph.D., founder and CEO of Lucence, shared how LiquidHALLMARK, the first Medicare-covered liquid biopsy test combining ctDNA and circulating tumor RNA (ctRNA), is redefining precision oncology.

“Adding RNA to liquid biopsy testing is not just incremental, it’s transformative,” Dr. Tan said. “We’re identifying patients who would otherwise miss lifesaving therapies.”

Dr. Tan illustrated this impact through compelling evidence and real-world cases, including a Florida ICU patient with advanced lung cancer. When tissue biopsy and a DNA-only test failed to reveal treatment options, LiquidHALLMARK detected an actionable ALK fusion via ctRNA, enabling targeted therapy and a successful recovery.

“This is about making sure treatment opportunities are not missed,” Dr. Tan added. “Combining DNA and RNA testing improves sensitivity and coverage, helping physicians deliver the right therapy at the right time.”

Key insights from the webinar

• Enhanced detection: Combining ctDNA and ctRNA identifies up to 15.6% more guideline-recommended biomarkers compared to DNA-only tests, impacting approximately one in six patients.
• Fusion sensitivity: RNA-based testing significantly improves detection of actionable fusions (ALK, RET, ROS1, NTRK), which are highly responsive to targeted therapies.
• Clinical utility across cancers: LiquidHALLMARK demonstrated success in lung, breast, prostate, and rare cancers, with RNA analysis feasible in over 99% of cases.
• Real-world impact: Large-scale studies and Medicare coverage make this next-generation test accessible for patients nationwide.

Why it matters

With 50,000 U.S. cancer patients annually presenting with fusions at baseline or progression, LiquidHALLMARK offers a critical tool for oncologists seeking comprehensive, noninvasive profiling.

Watch the full webinar and learn more about Lucence’s LiquidHALLMARK, available through Mayo Clinic Laboratories.