Ascending the learning curve – MSI testing experience of a six-laboratory consortium

Issue title: Lynch Syndrome (HNPCC) and Microsatellite Instability Guidelines – Part 2

Guest editors: Asad Umar

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Lindor, Noralane M.^{a; *} | Smalley, Regenia^b | Barker, Melissa^c | Bigler, Jeannette^d | Krumroy, Lisa M.^e | Lum-Jones, Annette^f | Plummer, Sarah J.^e | Selander, Teresa^g | Thomas, Sushma^d | Youash, Michelle^g | Seminara, Daniela^h | Casey, Graham^e | Bapat, Bharati^g | Thibodeau, Stephen N.^b

Affiliations: [a] Department of Medical Genetics, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA | [b] Department of Laboratory Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA | [c] University of Melbourne, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia | [d] Cancer Prevention Program, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, USA | [e] Department of Cancer Biology, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA | [f] University of Hawaii Cancer Research Center, Honolulu, Hawaii | [g] Samuel Lunenfeld Research Institute, Mount Sinai Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ont., Canada | [h] Clinical and Genetic Epidemiology Research Branch, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD, USA | Gastrointestinal & Other Cancers Research Group, Division of Cancer Prevention, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, 6130 Executive Blvd, Rockville, MD 20852, USA

Correspondence: [*] Corresponding author: N.M. Lindor, M.D., E7B, Medical Genetics, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA. Tel.: +1 507 284 3750; Fax: +1 507 284 1067; E-mail: [email protected].

Abstract: According to recently published guidelines, microsatellite instability (MSI) testing of colorectal cancers may be clinically indicated on a significant proportion of all colorectal tumors. To date, nothing has been published regarding the reproducibility of MSI testing between laboratories. We present MSI quality control activities experience of a six center multinational consortium, as laboratories developed competency with MSI testing and interpretation. The aim of this paper is to share lessons learned and to describe the final concordance rates in scoring MSI markers within this consortium.

DOI: 10.3233/CBM-2006-21-202

Journal: Cancer Biomarkers, vol. 2, no. 1-2, pp. 5-9, 2006