Molecular Tumor Board

The field of precision cancer medicine is rapidly evolving, with an ever growing list of targeted therapies approved for use in advanced cancer patients harboring specific genetic alterations. To deliver these advances to our patients, the Duke University Health System (DUHS) has a robust and rapidly expanding clinical tumor sequencing program, which offers our patients the highest quality and most comprehensive genomic profiling test available.

In addition, the Duke Molecular Tumor Board (DMTB) was developed to provide molecular decision-making support, to advance biomarker-based clinical research, and to foster precision cancer medicine within the DUHS. Supported by Duke Cancer Institute (DCI), the DMTB meets weekly and brings together a diverse, multi-disciplinary group of pathologists, oncologists, scientists, medical geneticists, and clinical trial teams. 

The DMTB analyzes results of clinical next-generation sequencing (NGS) tests and shares its insights with the patient’s care team. Discussions include clinical best practices, clinical recommendations based on specific mutational profiles, clinical trial matching, and referrals to medical genetics.  Molecular profiling data is stored by the DMTB, and updated recommendations are disseminated to patient care teams as clinical best practices evolve and novel therapeutic options emerge.