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Impact Genetic  |  Castle Biosciences

Castle Biosciences

Castle Biosciences Offers Comprehensive Genomic Profiling of Your Tumor from a Single Biopsy

Castle offers three tests for patients with uveal melanoma that can all be run from a single tumor biopsy sample:

  • DecisionDx-UM (Standard of care – adopted by ~90% of ocular oncology centers)

  • DecisionDx-PRAME (optional supplemental test)

  • DecisionDx-UMSeq (optional supplemental test)

It is important to note that the DecisionDx-UM test is the most extensively validated prognostic method for uveal melanoma and is considered standard of care due to its wide acceptance by physicians and its inclusion in national guidelines.

Click here for a step-by-step guide to discussing prognostic testing with your healthcare team

DecisionDx®-UM
Standard of Care for Predicting Metastatic Risk in Uveal Melanoma

Overview:  DecisionDx-UM is a gene expression profiling test that became clinically available in late 2009 for patients diagnosed with uveal melanoma who have no evidence of disease spread.

DecisionDx-UM test changed how uveal melanoma is managed:

  • Within five years of diagnosis, about 30% of uveal melanoma patients will develop metastastic disease (meaning the cancer has spread outside the eye). This number rises to nearly 50% in the following years.

  • DecisionDx-UM identifies which patients are at low or high risk for progression of their disease so that their physicians can appropriately adjust the level of care provided.

How the test works: The DecisionDx-UM test identifies the molecular signature of a patient’s tumor and its likelihood of spreading (metastasizing) within five years. This test measures the activity or “expression” of 15 genes to determine a patient’s individual risk, or “Class”.

  • Class 1A:  Low risk, with a 2% chance of the cancer spreading within five years

  • Class 1B: Intermediate risk, with a 21% chance of the cancer spreading within five years

  • Class 2: High risk, with a 72% chance of the cancer spreading within five years

DecisionDx®-PRAME

Overview: Castle Biosciences offers DecisionDx-PRAME gene expression profile testing to assess expression of the PRAME (preferentially expressed antigen in melanoma) gene. DecisionDx-PRAME is an optional, additional test that can be run on the same sample as your DecisionDx-UM test.

  • The test is available as an option for patients who are undergoing the DecisionDx-UM test.

  • Elevated expression of PRAME has been associated with an increased risk of metastasis in patients with uveal melanoma.

  • When used in conjunction with results from the DecisionDx-UM test, PRAME expression status may add further precision to the predicted risk of metastasis and help guide physicians and patients to the most appropriate follow-up care regimens.

It is important to remember that information from the DecisionDx-PRAME is NOT a substitute for the DecisionDx-UM test.

DecisionDx®-UMSeq
Next-generation Sequencing for Uveal Melanoma

Overview: Castle’s DecisionDx-UMSeq test is a gene sequencing panel that can identify mutations in seven important genes in your uveal melanoma tumor. DecisionDx-UMSeq is an optional, additional test that can be run on the same sample as your DecisionDx-UM test.

  • The test is available as an option for patients who are undergoing the DecisionDx-UM test.

  • Researchers believe that identifying mutations in these seven genes may aid in refining a patient’s prognosis and may someday help guide treatment decisions.

How the test works: The DecisionDx-UM test identifies the molecular signature of a patient’s tumor and its likelihood of spreading (metastasizing) within five years. This test measures the activity or “expression” of 15 genes to determine a patient’s individual risk, or “Class”.

It is important to remember that information from the DecisionDx-UMSeq gene sequencing panel is NOT a substitute for the DecisionDx-UM GEP test.