ProMPT Enhances NGS Reports to Delineate Treatment Complexities
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A close-up of a microscope lens capturing a vibrant blue cancer cell, symbolizing the groundbreaking findings: © catalin - stock.adobe.com
Oncology treatments continue to grow in complexity, with an increasing reliance on biomarker-driven therapies. This evolution makes it difficult for clinicians to stay current on emerging approaches. Compounding the challenge, genomic data from next-generation sequencing (NGS) reports are often confusing, difficult to extract, and not easily searchable.
Targeted Oncology™ discussed efforts to optimize current electronic medical records with Neha Jain, PhD, a senior director, precision medicine at OneOncology in Nashville, Tennessee, who shared the rollout of Provider Messaging for Precision Therapies (ProMPT).1
The tool can aid in clinical decision-making by enabling oncologists to view existing patient testing reports and results, explore matching FDA approved precision therapy options, receive notifications for additional available testing, and obtain support from the OneOncology Precision Medicine team.
Targeted OncologyTM: How does ProMPT work and what does it help oncologists do?
Jain: ProMPT is a Google Chrome extension that leverages raw sequencing data obtained from a tissue or blood sample that the oncologist sends for NGS. While the final output is typically a PDF report, a JSON file is generated first—a critical component for ProMPT. This file contains all the PDF elements in a queryable, malleable format. Since NGS is performed by multiple vendors, resulting in varied JSON files, ProMPT homogenizes the data and links it to the patient.
When ProMPT is launched, several sections are visible, including the NGS reports and results section, which is capable of displaying multiple NGS reports. Clinicians can choose to view a snapshot of these reports on ProMPT or open the full NGS report via the EMR. The EMR is a busy place and it can take several clicks to find the NGS reports. ProMPT compiles the data from these reports sequentially, making it easier to digest, and even allows comparison of findings across multiple reports over time.
The most exciting feature is the dynamic therapy section, which updates as new treatments are approved. For example, a patient’s NGS report from 3 years ago may have had no actionable biomarkers at the time, but reviewing it today could reveal newly available drug options. This addresses a critical knowledge gap as science advances. Beyond matching FDA-approved therapies to diagnoses, ProMPT also integrates institutional clinical trials, alerting oncologists to potential patient eligibility.
What were some of the challenges to roll this out and how did you overcome these challenges?
We started rolling this out last year and it is now available in 9 practices. One major hurdle is ensuring oncologists remember the tool is available. Even though it resides on the Chrome toolbar, it can be overlooked. We experimented with pop-up alerts, but some oncologists found them intrusive. Striking a balance between visibility and usability, alerting users without causing distraction, was a significant design challenge.
Security was another concern. Some oncologists prefer working on personal tablets outside the office, but privacy and security are paramount. While this may require adjustments in workflow, we believe the tool’s value will become evident once clinicians start using it.
Could you expand on how ProMPT delivers clinical trial information?
The clinical trial integration is still in its early stages. Initially, we focused on alerting physicians to potential eligibility based on genomic findings. However, matching patients solely on diagnosis and biomarker is often insufficient because clinical trials have extensive exclusion criteria. That said, diagnosis and genomic findings remain key eligibility factors. Without these, patients cannot enroll, regardless of other qualifications.
ProMPT allows oncology practices to opt in to clinical trial notifications. If they select “Yes,” we work with them to understand their trial portfolio. For instance, if 15 trials are open but only 5 require actionable biomarkers, ProMPT will trigger alerts when an NGS report matches those 5 trials. Each alert includes a clickable link, enabling oncologists to initiate the prescreen workflow directly from the EMR.
How do we encourage greater use of NGS?
I think in order to expand the use of NGS, regulations and policies need to make it available to everyone. Currently, NGS is almost standard of care for everyone who is late stage or advanced in their disease. But it has to be moved to the frontline, especially in lung cancer, which is the poster child for NGS, but also in other cancers . We have so much data now from all the genomic testing conducted over the past decade that can be leveraged to determine how these gene signatures can inform patient care.
