Impact of the Percepta Genomic Classifier on Clinical Management Decisions in a Multicenter Prospective Study

Background: The Percepta genomic classifier has been clinically validated as a complement to bronchoscopy for lung nodule evaluation.

Research question: The goal of this study was to examine the impact on clinical management decisions of the Percepta result in patients with low- and intermediate-risk lung nodules.

Study design and methods: A prospective "real world" registry was instituted across 35 US centers to observe physician management of pulmonary nodules following a nondiagnostic bronchoscopy. To assess the impact on management decisions of the Percepta genomic classifier, a subset of patients was analyzed who had an inconclusive bronchoscopy for a pulmonary nodule, a Percepta result, and an adjudicated lung diagnosis with at least 1 year of follow-up. In this cohort, change in the decision to pursue additional invasive procedures following Percepta results was assessed.

Results: A total of 283 patients met the study eligibility criteria. In patients with a low/intermediate risk of malignancy for whom the clinician had designated a plan for a subsequent invasive procedure, a negative Percepta result down-classified the risk of malignancy in 34.3% of cases. Of these down-classified patients, 73.9% had a change in their management plan from an invasive procedure to surveillance, and the majority avoided a procedure up to 12 months following the initial evaluation. In patients with confirmed lung cancers, the time to diagnosis was not significantly delayed when comparing Percepta down-classified patients vs patients who were not down-classified (P = .58).

Interpretation: The down-classification of nodule malignancy risk with the Percepta test decreased additional invasive procedures without a delay in time to diagnosis among those with lung cancer.