Quest Diagnostics announced the launch of a risk prediction test—MelaNodal Predict—to help physicians determine the most appropriate treatment options for patients with melanoma. MelaNodal Predict is a laboratory-developed test validated by Quest Diagnostics and based on technology developed by SkylineDx, alongside Mayo Clinic. MelaNodal Predict uses gene-expression profiling technology to analyze patients’ age, tumor thickness, and original diagnostic tumor biopsy. The test then predicts whether patients are at high or low risk of nodal metastasis. The test could aid physicians in providing more personalized care; help low-risk patients avoid cost-ineffective and invasive procedures such as sentinel lymph node biopsy, a test which produces negative results about 80% of the time and can lead to complications such as bleeding, infections, and limb swelling; as well as improve the utilization of health-care resources. Further, MelaNodal Predict may provide information on long-term outcomes among patients with melanoma. In recent studies, researchers demonstrated that the test projected the survival rate among patients with low-risk melanoma to be over 90%. Quest Diagnostics highlighted that as of February 13, 2024, dermatologists are able to order the MelaNodal Predict tests directly from the company or from its subspecialty pathology company, Dermpath Diagnostics.
February 28, 2024