Comparison of DNA- and RNA-Based Mutation Testing for Non–Small Cell Lung Cancer

Molecular testing for oncogenic mutations is the standard of care for patients with non–small cell lung cancer. While DNA sequencing effectively captures actionable substitution and indel mutations, the ability of RNA-based methods to detect these alterations remains unestablished. In this study, paired molecular analysis of 83 non–small cell lung cancer samples was performed via two clinical next-generation sequencing tests: a DNA hybrid capture panel and an RNA anchored multiplex PCR panel. The two methods were concordant in 65 of 67 oncogenic substitution and indel mutations in AKT1, ALK, BRAF, CTNNB1, EGFR, ERBB2, KRAS, NRAS, PIK3CA, and ROS1.