Multi Gene Panel Testing By Lifelabs

Increase your Diagnostic Yield Using One of the Curated, Comprehensive, or Custom Panels from LifeLabs Genetics. Genetic testing can deliver much more than ancestry information for the curious. Clinically focused Genetic testing yields data that inform accurate diagnoses for rare diseases, support medical decisions and may change the course of a person’s life.

WHO IS THIS TEST FOR?

 

LifeLabs Genetics offers testing for > 200-panel options.

 

Fixed Panels are best suited for healthcare providers who:

 

• Seek confirmatory diagnostic testing for patients with suspected phenotypes
• Prefer to minimize the likelihood of identifying variants of uncertain significance
• Would like to test only those genes most commonly associated with the suspected phenotype
  

 

The Expanded Panel is best suited for healthcare providers who:

 

• Aim to gain deeper insights into clinically relevant genes
• Have a patient with an unidentified and/or highly heterogeneous phenotype
• Do not have access to whole-exome sequencing
• Have a patient with an identified phenotype and are in search of an affordable clinically-based exome instead of a disease-specific panel

 

Progressive panels are best suited for healthcare providers who:

 

• Have a patient with an unidentified or heterogeneous phenotype, where whole-exome sequencing has already been attempted or was not available
• Have a patient with an identified phenotype, but prefer to test a large number of genes related to the specified clinical indications
• Would like to expand on the fixed content panels currently offered through LifeLabs Genetics or any other provider of genetic testing
• Would like the ability to reflex to a larger data set if their choice in panel comes back negative

These tests do not identify your ancestry.

TIMING

 

• Babies, children, and adults can all benefit from genetic testing depending on the health issues or life events they are facing
• Turnaround times vary by test; results may become available to your physician in 4 to 6 weeks; expedited testing for prenatal cases is also available
• Timing estimates do not include time required for physician appointments, requisitions, consent signatures, sample collection, statutory holidays, or courier/shipping times (samples are analyzed in Toronto or Germany)
  

 

TEST SPECIFICS

 

• Panel testing utilizes next-generation sequencing to achieve optimal coverage of targeted bases
• Fx Panels have >99% technical sensitivity across SNVs
• Ex Panel has >99.6% technical sensitivity
• ProGx Panels have >99.1% technical sensitivity
• Simplified Pricing Structure – Most panels are $1,500 CAD, including CNV analyses

 

RESULTS & REPORTS

 

Reports are sent to physicians only; LifeLabs Genetics cannot share results directly with patients. The ordering physician will receive an email or fax when results become available. Actual results are never shared via email.

Results documentation includes the following:

 

• Test type, date, methodology, result, and interpretation
• Positive result: Indicates a genetic variant was identified in a specific gene and that variant is pathogenic or likely pathogenic (highly likely to be causal of the disease-related condition).
• Uncertain result: Sometimes, gene variants are proven but their significance is not clear. This is stated in the results and discussed with you by your physician. This category of variant is not reported for fetal samples or samples from deceased persons.
• Negative result: If no disease-causing variant is found, genetic changes responsible for the disease or a tendency to have a disease may still exist and cannot usually be fully excluded.

LifeLabs Partners With Bayer Inc. to Offer Clinicians a Complimentary Testing Service to Detect TRK Fusion Cancer

LifeLabs is pleased to announce it has partnered with Bayer Inc. to launch FastTRK, a complimentary clinical testing program for the diagnosis of neurotrophic tyrosine receptor kinase (NTRK) gene fusions in TRK fusion cancer patients in Canada.

Bayer founded the FastTRK program through partnerships with LifeLabs and the Kingston Health Sciences Centre, who are the initial labs that will be providing this centralized testing service. Bayer will cover the full cost of the test regardless of the results, treatment decision, and patient’s insurance coverage until at least the end of 2021.

“We’re pleased to be working with Bayer on this as it supports a common goal among many health care organizations in finding effective tests for patients with severe medical conditions such as cancer,” says Charles Brown, President, and CEO of LifeLabs. “Because this test is for such a rare form of cancer, it represents an exciting innovation that may lead to other treatment options for patients, where previous options have failed.”

Some cancers are caused by specific changes in genes (referred to as ‘genomic alterations’). TRK fusion cancer is caused by the fusion of an NTRK gene with another unrelated gene. TRK fusion cancer can occur in any organ or tissue type in the body, in both children and adults. FastTRK enables clinicians to test their patients’ cancer for the presence of an NTRK gene fusion across all solid tumor types. If an NTRK gene fusion is found, that patient may be eligible for a targeted treatment option.

“As new treatment options are approved to help cancer patients in Canada, in this new era of precision medicine, testing partnerships such as FastTRK are critical bridges to help clinicians identify which of their patients are candidates for specific targeted therapies,” says Dr. Shurjeel Choudhri, Senior Vice President and Head, Medical & Scientific Affairs for Bayer Inc.

Who can get tested through FastTRK?

 

Patients with solid tumors that are metastatic, or when surgical resection is likely to result in severe morbidity, and for whom no satisfactory treatment options are available, meet the criteria to be tested. Testing for NTRK gene fusions should be performed for patients with tumor types known to frequently harbor NTRK gene fusions.

A clinician must request the test. For more information on FastTRK or how to request a test, healthcare professionals can visit www.fasttrk.ca or email fasttrk@bayer.com.

About LifeLabs

 

LifeLabs is Canada’s leading provider of laboratory diagnostic information and digital health connectivity systems, enabling patients and health care practitioners to diagnose, treat, monitor, and prevent disease. We support 20 million patient visits annually and conduct over 100 million laboratory tests through leading-edge technologies and our 5,700 talented and dedicated employees. We are a committed innovator in supporting Canadians to live healthier lives, operating Canada’s first commercial genetics lab and the country’s largest online patient portal, with more than 4.1 million Canadians receiving their results online. LifeLabs is 100% Canadian owned by OMERS Infrastructure, the infrastructure investment manager of one of Canada’s largest defined benefit pension plans. Learn more at lifelabs.com.

 About Bayer

 

Bayer is a global enterprise with core competencies in the life science fields of health care and nutrition. Its products and services are designed to benefit people by supporting efforts to overcome the major challenges presented by a growing and aging global population. At the same time, the Group aims to increase its earning power and create value through innovation and growth. Bayer is committed to the principles of sustainable development, and the Bayer brand stands for trust, reliability, and quality throughout the world. In fiscal 2019, the Group employed around 104,000 people and had sales of 43.5 billion euros. Capital expenditures amounted to 2.9 billion euros, R&D expenses to 5.3 billion euros. For more information, go to www.bayer.ca.

Hereditary Cancer Genetic Test | Lifelabs

Approximately 5-10% of all cancers are hereditary. An additional 10-30% of individuals may be at increased risk because they have close family members who also had cancer, suggesting a familial link, even though no specific hereditary link was found.

There are many types of familial cancers. For example, in certain families, women have a higher propensity to develop breast and/or ovarian cancer. This is known as Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer syndrome (HBOC), which is often caused by an inherited mutation in either the BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene (BRCA1/2). Harmful variants in BRCA1/2 may lead to an increased chance of developing other cancers as well, such as a fallopian tube, peritoneal, melanoma, pancreas, and/or prostate cancer. 

More than 2,600 harmful mutations have been found in BRCA1/2.

 

Analysis of hereditary cancer genes involves a step-by-step look through the DNA of each gene for changes, known as mutations. Our panel looks at the 47 more common genes associated with increased risk of developing hereditary breast, ovarian, uterine, colorectal, gastric, prostate, melanoma, and pancreatic cancers. Genetic testing is most commonly performed on blood but can also be performed on saliva, tissue, or banked DNA.

Who Should Consider Testing? 

 

It is estimated that 1/2 of men and 1/3 of women will develop cancer in their lifetime. 5-10% of cancers are hereditary, which means we can tell you more about your risks ahead of time.

Genetic testing may be appropriate if you or a close family member has:

 

• Breast, colorectal, or uterine cancer diagnosed before age 50
• More than one type of cancer
• Cancer in both of a set of paired organs (for example, both kidneys or both breasts)
• Certain types of cancer including ovarian, pancreatic, metastatic prostate, intraductal prostate, medullary thyroid, triple-negative breast or male breast cancer)
• 10+ gastrointestinal polyps
• Breast or high-grade prostate cancer (Gleason score >7)
• Ashkenazi Jewish ancestry

LifeLabs Genetics offers the following more targeted panels, each including pre- and post-test genetic counseling:

 

• BRCA1, BRCA2 panel
• Breast Cancer panel
• Breast and Gynecologic Cancer panel
• Colorectal Cancer panel
• 47 Gene Panel

TIMING:

 

• Once the sample is received at LifeLabs Genetics, the team will schedule a pre-test genetic counseling session for the patient and, optionally, the ordering physician
• Sample analysis by LifeLabs Genetics’ laboratory partner, Invitae, takes 4–6 weeks
• The patient is strongly encouraged to attend a post-test genetic counseling session
• Timing estimates do not include the time required for healthcare provider appointments, requisitions, consent signatures, sample collection, or courier/shipping times

Tuberculosis (TB) Test by Lifelabs

QuantiFERON®–TB Gold Plus (QFT-Plus) is a simple blood test for Tuberculosis (TB), an air-born and highly contagious infectious disease. While TB most frequently affects the lungs (pulmonary TB) it can also cause diseases in any part of the body, such as the lymph nodes, bones, brain, organs, and eyes. TB is a serious disease that kills about 1.5 million people each year worldwide. TB is spread when a person with active, infectious TB disease coughs, sneezes, or spits, releasing droplets containing TB bacteria into the air, which are then inhaled by someone else.

What is Latent TB?

 

Not everyone who is exposed to TB bacteria will develop an infection, and not all of those who become infected will develop symptoms of TB disease, which is why getting tested is so important. Those who are infected but have no symptoms are said to have a latent TB infection (LTBI), while those who do become sick have an active infection.

 If you have latent TB, you do not feel sick but you could become sick at some point if your LTBI becomes an active TB infection. This happens to about 10% of people with untreated latent TB infections, who are otherwise in good health. A greater percentage of people with compromised immune systems, such as those suffering from malnutrition, tobacco users, those with diabetes, and especially those with HIV infection, are at greater risk of developing active TB disease. 

What makes QFT-Plus better than the skin test?

With the QFT test, you only need to visit LifeLabs once to give a blood sample. With the skin test, you need to plan two visits to your healthcare provider: one to administer the test and one to check for results. The QFT-Plus test is better at helping your healthcare provider determine if you have TB, saves you time, and provides more accurate results than traditional skin prick testing.  There are no risks to getting this test done. All you need to do is get blood drawn at a select LifeLabs location in your province.

Who should have the QFT-Plus test?

 

QFT-Plus can be used in place of the skin test and is suitable for anyone who has:

 

1. Had contact with someone known to have TB
2. Been to a country with high rates of TB
3. A weak immune system, such as:
1. Those with HIV infection
2. Those with chronic underlying conditions, including diabetes and kidney disease
3. Organ transplant recipients and others on immunosuppressant drugs
4. Pregnant women
5. The elderly
4. Started some types of medications
   

 

Additionally, people who work with, or are part of groups with high rates of infection, such as IV drug users, or confined populations, such as hospitalized patients, prisoners, and residents of nursing homes can also use this test. QFT-Plus works in people who have been previously vaccinated against TB, and can also be used to confirm a positive skin test result.

How can I get the QFT-Plus test?

 

QFT is available at select LifeLabs locations in Ontario and BC. You must bring a completed test requisition from your healthcare provider.

What will the test show?

 

The QFT-Plus test will help your healthcare provider determine if you have TB. It will show one of two results:

 

• Positive – you will probably have TB. However, your healthcare provider needs to see you before confirming that you have TB
• Negative- you probably do not have TB.
  

 

Occasionally, the results are not clear. If that happens, your healthcare provider may have you take the test again.