Column: Biomarker testing is key to cancer care

As a Stage 4 breast cancer survivor, I know the importance of maintaining hope after a diagnosis. I was first diagnosed in 2020 and am still here today, thanks in part to something called biomarker testing. For many patients battling cancer across the country, advancements in precision medicine provide hope. Patients and survivors in Hawaii deserve hope. Breakthrough treatments can extend survival; however, many of these treatments are not available without being able to access biomarker testing.

As a volunteer with the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) in Hawaii. I’m urging our state Legislature to support concurrent resolutions HCR 35 and SCR 29, which would help pave the way for improved access to biomarker testing that provides game-changing information for those battling chronic diseases.

Thanks to modern medical breakthroughs, biomarker testing can be used to precisely identify the mutations unique to a patient’s cancer. Biomarkers may also guide doctors’ treatment decisions by providing information about whether patients will respond to particular treatment options. The results from such testing have led to increased survivorship and quality of life for cancer patients. This is why we need strong policy, locally, to support access to such innovation. I know biomarker testing has made all the difference in my fight against cancer.

Time is of the essence after a diagnosis. When patients don’t have access to testing, their survival and quality of life may immediately be impacted. Without the knowledge provided by biomarker tests, Stage 4 cancer patients, like myself, are more likely to endure ineffective treatments or miss out on new Food and Drug Administration-approved therapies.

Biomarker testing can also identify early-stage cancer patients at low risk for disease progression or recurrence, allowing them to avoid treatments that may not be beneficial or necessary.

Progress in improving cancer outcomes increasingly involves the use of precision medicine. Nearly 60% of all cancer drugs approved in the last five years require or recommend biomarker testing before use.

In Hawaii, existing barriers keep too many residents from having access to biomarker testing. That’s because local insurance coverage for this testing is failing to keep pace with innovations in treatment. In a December 2021 survey, 66% of oncology providers reported that insurance coverage is a significant or moderate barrier to appropriate biomarker testing for their patients.

This was my experience, despite having health insurance that was supposed to cover necessary treatment and testing that was considered standard of care.

No cancer patient should be burdened by insurance coverage fears or face thousands of dollars in out-of-pocket costs when trying to determine the best treatment for their life-threatening disease. Facing a diagnosis is hard enough. We need Hawaii lawmakers to remove barriers to biomarker testing and precision medicine, and ensure more patients benefit from the best care available.

I want to thank the lawmakers who recently listened to my story and heard the message of my fellow patients and survivors during “Cancer Action Day” at the state Capitol. Together, we urged legislators to support increased access to biomarker testing. It’s time for Hawaii to join 20 other states in expanding appropriate coverage of such testing for public and private insurance plans.

Natalie Hyman is a cancer survivor and volunteer for the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network.