Sentis Lung Cancer Blood Test at Chughtai Lab

Understanding the Sentis Lung Cancer Blood Test at Chughtai Lab

The Sentis Lung Cancer Blood Test represents a revolutionary advancement in precision oncology and molecular diagnostics, now available through Chughtai Lab’s extensive diagnostic network in Pakistan in collaboration with Genetech. Lung cancer remains one of the leading causes of cancer-related mortality globally and within Pakistan. Historically, diagnosing and molecularly profiling lung tumors required invasive tissue biopsies, which carry inherent surgical risks, may not be feasible due to tumor location, and often fail to capture the complete spatial and temporal heterogeneity of the malignancy. The Sentis Lung Cancer Blood Test, utilizing state-of-the-art liquid biopsy technology, overcomes these limitations by analyzing circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) shed by tumor cells into the patient’s bloodstream.

By employing advanced Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) platforms, this test screens for a comprehensive panel of somatic mutations, insertions, deletions, copy number variations, and gene fusions that drive non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). This non-invasive diagnostic tool provides oncologists with critical genomic insights necessary to formulate highly personalized, targeted therapeutic strategies, monitor treatment efficacy in real-time, and identify emerging drug resistance mechanisms before they manifest clinically or radiographically. Chughtai Lab, as a pioneer in pathology services in Pakistan, ensures that patients have access to this cutting-edge molecular test, bridging the gap between advanced genomic science and clinical patient care.

The clinical utility of the Sentis Lung Cancer Blood Test lies in its ability to detect minute quantities of tumor-derived genetic material circulating in peripheral blood. As tumor cells undergo apoptosis or necrosis, they release fragmented DNA into the vascular system. By isolating this cell-free DNA (cfDNA) and applying deep sequencing methodologies, the test can identify oncogenic driver mutations with exceptional sensitivity and specificity. This allows for a comprehensive assessment of the tumor’s genomic landscape without the discomfort, cost, and complications associated with repeated surgical or needle biopsies.

Clinical Procedure: What to Expect

Patient Preparation

To ensure the highest accuracy and reliability of the Sentis Lung Cancer Blood Test, patients must adhere to specific preparation guidelines. While the test itself is minimally invasive, the molecular nature of the analysis requires careful pre-analytical handling:

• No Dietary Restrictions: There is no requirement for fasting. Patients can eat, drink, and take their routine non-oncological medications normally prior to the blood draw.
• Clinical Documentation: Patients must provide a complete clinical history. This includes previous histopathology reports, staging information, details of current or past chemotherapy, immunotherapy, or targeted therapies, and a valid physician’s prescription.
• Informed Consent: Because the Sentis test involves advanced genomic sequencing, patients must sign a comprehensive informed consent form. Chughtai Lab’s professional staff will explain the scope, benefits, and limitations of the genetic analysis during this process.
• Medication Disclosure: It is vital to inform the laboratory staff of all active medications, particularly anticoagulants (blood thinners) or recent systemic therapies, as these can impact sample collection and clinical interpretation.
• Optimal Hydration: Drinking plenty of water prior to the procedure is highly recommended. Proper hydration ensures adequate blood volume, makes veins more accessible, and facilitates a rapid, comfortable blood draw.

During the Procedure

The sample collection process for the Sentis Lung Cancer Blood Test is designed to prioritize patient comfort, safety, and specimen integrity:

• Patient Positioning: The patient is seated comfortably in a specialized phlebotomy chair. The phlebotomist will explain the steps of the venipuncture to alleviate any anxiety.
• Aseptic Technique: The phlebotomist identifies a suitable vein, typically in the antecubital fossa (inner elbow). The site is thoroughly cleansed with an antiseptic solution to prevent external contamination.
• Specialized Collection Tubes: Unlike standard blood tests, the Sentis test requires specialized cell-free DNA preservation tubes (such as Streck tubes). These tubes contain proprietary preservatives that prevent the lysis of maternal white blood cells, ensuring that the circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) is not diluted by genomic DNA.
• Venipuncture and Volume: A small needle is inserted, and approximately 10 to 20 mL of blood (usually two tubes) is collected. The process is quick, typically lasting less than five minutes.
• Post-Collection Care: Once the blood is drawn, the needle is removed, and gentle pressure is applied to the site with a sterile gauze pad, followed by the application of a bandage. Patients are advised to keep the bandage on for a few hours.
• Specimen Processing and Transport: The collected tubes are gently inverted to mix the blood with the preservative. The specimens are then labeled with unique barcodes and prepared for temperature-controlled transport to the specialized molecular diagnostics facility under strict cold-chain protocols to maintain sample viability.

When is a Sentis Lung Cancer Blood Test Performed?

Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC) Management

The primary clinical indication for the Sentis Lung Cancer Blood Test is the management of advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). In modern oncology, identifying the specific molecular driver of a patient’s tumor is essential before initiating systemic therapy. This test is performed at the time of initial diagnosis to screen for actionable mutations, such as EGFR, ALK, or ROS1. Identifying these alterations allows oncologists to bypass standard chemotherapy and initiate highly effective, targeted tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), which significantly improve progression-free survival and patient quality of life.

Monitoring Treatment Response and Resistance

Cancer cells are highly dynamic and frequently mutate under the selective pressure of targeted therapies. Over time, patients undergoing treatment with TKIs may develop secondary resistance mutations that render the current therapy ineffective. For example, patients taking first-generation EGFR inhibitors often develop the T790M resistance mutation, while those on third-generation inhibitors like osimertinib may acquire the C797S mutation. The Sentis Lung Cancer Blood Test is performed periodically during treatment to detect these resistance clones at an early stage, enabling oncologists to proactively adjust the therapeutic regimen.

Detection of Minimal Residual Disease (MRD)

Following curative-intent treatments, such as surgical resection or definitive chemoradiotherapy in early-stage lung cancer, patients are monitored closely for recurrence. The Sentis blood test can be utilized to detect minimal residual disease (MRD). The presence of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) in the bloodstream post-surgery serves as an incredibly sensitive biomarker for molecular relapse. It can signal the presence of microscopic cancer cells and predict clinical recurrence months before lesions become visible on standard imaging modalities like CT or PET scans, allowing for early intervention.

Inability to Perform Tissue Biopsy

In many clinical scenarios, obtaining a tissue biopsy is highly challenging or impossible. This may be due to the anatomical location of the tumor (e.g., deep within the lung parenchyma or adjacent to major blood vessels), the patient’s poor performance status, or severe comorbidities such as advanced chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or bleeding disorders. In these situations, the Sentis liquid biopsy serves as a vital, non-invasive alternative. It ensures that patients who cannot undergo surgical or needle biopsies are not deprived of the benefits of comprehensive genomic profiling and targeted cancer therapies.

Screening for Hereditary Lung Cancer Predisposition

While the vast majority of lung cancers are somatic and associated with environmental factors like smoking, a small percentage of cases involve a hereditary predisposition. The Sentis panel can evaluate germline genetic variants associated with an increased susceptibility to lung and other cancers. Physicians may recommend this test for patients who present with lung cancer at an unusually young age, non-smokers with a strong family history of lung or related malignancies, or individuals with multiple primary tumors, helping to guide familial risk assessment and surveillance.

What Does a Sentis Lung Cancer Blood Test Detect?

The Sentis Lung Cancer Blood Test is designed to detect a wide array of clinically actionable genomic alterations and molecular biomarkers. By utilizing high-depth Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS), the test identifies somatic mutations, gene fusions, copy number variations, and other critical genetic changes. The primary parameters and findings detected by this test include:

• EGFR Exon 19 Deletions: Somatic mutations that indicate high sensitivity to first-, second-, and third-generation EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs).
• EGFR L858R Point Mutation: A common mutation in exon 21 associated with sensitivity to EGFR targeted therapies.
• EGFR T790M Resistance Mutation: An acquired mutation that confers resistance to early-generation EGFR TKIs but indicates sensitivity to third-generation TKIs like osimertinib.
• EGFR C797S Resistance Mutation: A known resistance mechanism that arises during treatment with third-generation EGFR TKIs.
• ALK Gene Fusions: Rearrangements such as EML4-ALK that predict excellent response to ALK inhibitors like alectinib, brigatinib, and lorlatinib.
• ROS1 Gene Rearrangements: Fusions indicating eligibility for targeted therapies such as crizotinib or entrectinib.
• RET Gene Fusions: Actionable alterations (e.g., KIF5B-RET) that respond to selective RET inhibitors like selpercatinib and pralsetinib.
• MET Exon 14 Skipping Mutations: Oncogenic drivers in NSCLC that can be targeted with MET inhibitors such as capmatinib and tepotinib.
• MET Gene Amplification: Associated with both primary oncogenesis and acquired resistance to EGFR-targeted therapies.
• BRAF V600E Mutation: A somatic mutation indicating eligibility for combination therapy with dabrafenib and trametinib.
• KRAS G12C Mutation: A specific driver mutation targeted by novel inhibitors like sotorasib and adagrasib.
• KRAS Non-G12C Mutations: Mutations (e.g., G12D, G12V) that provide prognostic information and guide clinical trial enrollment.
• HER2 (ERBB2) Exon 20 Insertions: Mutations that indicate eligibility for targeted antibody-drug conjugates like trastuzumab deruxtecan.
• NTRK1/2/3 Gene Fusions: Rare but highly actionable fusions targeted by tumor-agnostic therapies like larotrectinib and entrectinib.
• TP53 Somatic Mutations: Alterations in the tumor suppressor gene TP53, which provide valuable prognostic insights.
• PIK3CA Mutations: Mutations in the PI3K pathway that may contribute to drug resistance and tumor progression.
• Circulating Tumor DNA (ctDNA) Concentration: Quantitative measurement of tumor DNA levels in the blood, reflecting overall tumor burden.
• Tumor Mutational Burden (TMB) Indicators: Genomic markers that help predict the patient’s likelihood of responding to immune checkpoint inhibitors.
• Microsatellite Instability (MSI) Status: Evaluation of mismatch repair deficiency, which serves as a predictive marker for immunotherapy.
• ERBB2 Amplification: Copy number variations in the HER2 gene associated with therapeutic resistance.
• Germline BRCA1/BRCA2 Variants: Evaluated in specific hereditary panels to assess familial cancer syndromes.
• Germline TP53 Variants: Associated with Li-Fraumeni syndrome, indicating a hereditary predisposition to multiple cancers.
• Somatic Copy Number Variations (CNVs): Amplifications or deletions in key oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes.
• Absence of Detectable ctDNA: Suggests a low tumor burden, localized disease, or a complete molecular response to ongoing therapy.

Turnaround Time and Report Access at Chughtai Lab

The Sentis Lung Cancer Blood Test is a highly sophisticated molecular assay that requires meticulous laboratory processing, high-throughput sequencing, and complex bioinformatic analysis. Because this test involves advanced Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) and is performed in collaboration with Chughtai Lab’s strategic molecular partner, Genetech, the turnaround time is approximately 15 to 21 working days. This duration is necessary to ensure deep sequencing coverage, precise variant calling, and comprehensive clinical interpretation by a multidisciplinary team of molecular pathologists and geneticists.

Chughtai Lab is committed to providing seamless and convenient access to diagnostic reports. Once the analysis is complete and verified by our clinical experts, the report is uploaded immediately to our secure digital database. Patients and referring oncologists can access the report through several convenient channels: the Chughtai Lab official website portal, the Chughtai Lab Mobile App (available on iOS and Android), or via direct email delivery. Additionally, hard copies of the comprehensive report can be collected from any primary Chughtai Lab diagnostic center across Pakistan, including major hubs in Lahore, Karachi, Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Peshawar, and Multan.

Sentis Lung Cancer Blood Test Findings Overview

Structure / Parameter Evaluated	Normal Findings	Possible Abnormal Findings
EGFR Gene Status	Wild-type (No mutation detected)	Exon 19 deletion, L858R mutation, T790M mutation, or C797S mutation detected.
ALK Gene Status	No rearrangement/fusion detected	EML4-ALK or other ALK gene fusions detected.
ROS1 Gene Status	No rearrangement/fusion detected	ROS1 gene fusions detected.
KRAS Gene Status	Wild-type (No mutation detected)	KRAS G12C, G12D, or other somatic mutations detected.
MET Gene Status	Normal copy number; no splicing mutations	MET Exon 14 skipping mutation or MET gene amplification detected.
BRAF Gene Status	Wild-type (No mutation detected)	BRAF V600E or other somatic mutations detected.
ctDNA Concentration	Undetectable or extremely low levels	Elevated ctDNA levels indicating active tumor shedding and high disease burden.
Microsatellite Instability (MSI)	Microsatellite Stable (MSS)	Microsatellite Instability-High (MSI-H) detected.

Note: Diagnostic findings should always be interpreted by a qualified healthcare professional together with the patient’s symptoms, medical history, physical examination, laboratory investigations, previous imaging studies, and other relevant clinical information. Additional investigations or specialist consultation may be recommended depending on the findings.

Why Choose Chughtai Lab for Sentis Lung Cancer Blood Test?

• Pioneer in Pathology: Established in 1983 by Dr. A. S. Chughtai, Chughtai Lab is one of Pakistan’s most trusted and extensive diagnostic networks.
• Strategic Molecular Partnerships: Collaboration with leading genetic entities like Genetech ensures access to world-class NGS technologies and expert genomic interpretation.
• ISO 15189 Certification: Operating under strict international quality standards to guarantee clinical accuracy, reliability, and reproducibility of all molecular assays.
• Nationwide Network: Convenient sample collection centers across Lahore, Karachi, Islamabad, Peshawar, Multan, and other major cities, ensuring accessibility.
• Home Sample Collection: Highly trained phlebotomists available for sterile, specialized blood collection at the patient’s doorstep, minimizing the need for travel.
• Advanced Cold-Chain Logistics: Specialized transport protocols to maintain specimen integrity from the collection point to the sequencing facility, preventing sample degradation.
• Digital Report Access: Seamless retrieval of molecular reports via the Chughtai Lab mobile app, secure online portal, and direct email delivery.
• Dedicated Tumor Board Support: Providing comprehensive genomic reports that facilitate multidisciplinary tumor board discussions for highly personalized cancer care.