Lessons from a National Liquid Biopsy Program to Provide Cancer Testing and Treatment for Patients with Advanced Solid Tumors

Avitia designed and led a pan-Canadian liquid biopsy study published in Current Oncology. The peer-reviewed paper evaluated real-world use of Avitia’s Follow It® ctDNA assay across patients with advanced solid tumors.

Identifying tumor-specific mutations enables clinicians to select more effective cancer therapies. While liquid biopsy provides a less invasive and often faster alternative to tissue biopsy, there's still a number of significant hurdles for implementing it nationally in Canada. This includes lack of public funding and limited access to appropriate technology. Health systems have typically limited its use to cases with insufficient tissue. This study examined the feasibility of establishing nation-wide standardized LBx program for all eligible Canadian patients. It evaluated its demand, robustness, and ability to provide equitable as well as timely access to actionable biomarker information for therapy selection. The study also addressed the potential of Follow It® to offer cost savings and health benefits to patients — and the system as a whole — using health economics modelling analysis.  

Over three years, Avitia analyzed plasma samples using the clinically validated Follow It® 38-gene panel and reported results to clinicians in line with accepted international standards. The program enrolled more than 4,100 patients across 12 provinces, involving over 150 institutions and participation from more than 80% of Canadian oncologists. Eleven percent of participating patients were located in rural or remote regions, broadly reflecting the geographic distribution of Canada’s population. High-quality results were delivered to 97% of patients within an average of 8 days. Over 50% of patients were positive for clinically relevant ctDNA mutations. Based on Follow It ® testing results, the clinical trial opportunities were identified for 76% of participants, supporting access to research pathways alongside standard care.

Health economics formed a core lens of this peer-reviewed analysis, conducted with support from the Institute of Health Economics (Edmonton). The study evaluated Avitia’s Follow It® liquid biopsy used alongside tissue testing in advanced non-small cell lung cancer, compared with tissue biopsy alone. Modeling showed that this combined approach has the potential to improve outcomes while strengthening system efficiency — including cost-saving while delivering an additional 0.1138 quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) gained per patient.

These findings demonstrated the feasibility, sustained demand, and system-level impact of liquid biopsy when implemented at a national scale. The program supported faster clinical decisions, broader access to precision testing, and more efficient use of healthcare resources.

Read the full peer-reviewed study here:

https://www.mdpi.com/1718-7729/33/1/18

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