Testing appropriate patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) for ALK rearrangements and EGFR mutations is critically important to ensure delivery of the most effective lung cancer treatment. Crizotinib is effective in treating ALK rearranged tumors, and erlotinib is effective in tumors with activating mutations in EGFR, leading in recent years to dramatic responses in selected groups of patients treated with these drugs. The NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines for NSCLC currently recommend ALK rearrangement testing and EGFR mutation testing for patients with advanced nonsquamous NSCLC. Using these tests to select targeted therapy has been shown to improve outcomes for the patients carrying one of these mutations. However, many patients with advanced nonsquamous NSCLC are not receiving molecular testing because of gaps in physician knowledge of its critical importance as well as lack of patient awareness.

The Model Tumor Board in this series introduces cases with the objective of describing the respective contributions made by various members of the multidisciplinary team in the management of NSCLC. Subsequent presentations focus on the individual needs of each of the specialties involved in testing and providing specific guidance on how to ensure appropriate management.

Throughout this series, the goal is to ensure that pathologists, medical oncologists, radiation oncologists, surgical oncologists, interventional radiologists, pulmonologists, nurses, and other relevant healthcare professionals have the knowledge and skills necessary to order, perform, and use the information acquired from biomarker testing to optimally manage patients with advanced NSCLC.