Claire Saxton

Claire Saxton, Vice President of Patient Experience, Cancer Support Community, says oncology professionals need to use clear and understandable language when discussing biomarker testing with the patients.

Discussion on precision medicine can be confusing without standardized terminology. Claire Saxton, Vice President of Patient Experience, Cancer Support Community, says cancer community and advocacy organizations have agreed on definitions of 3 standardized terms: biomarker testing, genetic testing for an inherited mutation, and genetic testing for inherited cancer risk.

The Cancer Support Community engaged a group of oncology experts and a focus group to define 20 terms and concepts related to biomarker testing and precision medicine that are easy to understand for patients with cancer and their caregivers.

Claire Saxton, Vice President of Patient Experience, Cancer Support Community, welcomes oncology navigators to download and use the lexicon they developed for use in conversations with patients and their caregivers.

Using consistent testing terminology can help facilitate the conversation between patients with cancer, testing company, and the care team.

Claire Saxton, Vice President of Patient Experience, Cancer Support Community, says it is important for patients with cancer to understand what biomarker testing and precision medicine are so that they can be active members of their care team.

As precision medicine testing and treatment options evolve, the complexity of what patients and caregivers need to understand to be active members of their healthcare team has increased dramatically.