Myriad Genetics announces effective study results for melanoma test

Myriad Genetics has announced that study results show its melanoma test effectively differentiated malignant melanoma from benign skin lesions.

Data on the Myriad myPath Melanoma test were presented at the American Society of Dermatopathology annual meeting in Washington.

A 23-gene panel that differentiated malignant melanoma from benign skin lesions was evaluated in the verification study, according to a press release. Four hundred sixty-four skin biopsy samples were evaluated, including 254 samples “representing melanomas from all major subtypes including superficial spreading, lentigo maligna melanoma, acral, nodular and desmoplastic lesions,” Myriad said. The test reported sensitivity of 89% and specificity of 93% in distinguishing malignant melanoma from benign skin lesions, according to the release.

Sancy Leachman

“The data from this large cohort showed that this test is highly accurate, relative to expert dermatopathologic review,” Sancy Leachman, MD, PhD, chair of the department of dermatology, Oregon Health and Science University School of Medicine, and director of the Melanoma Research Program at Knight Cancer Institute, said in the release. “The diagnosis of melanoma by conventional methods often is subjective, and this test provides objective data which could make it an extremely valuable and useful diagnostic tool to save patients’ lives.”

“Late-stage melanoma has a 5-year survival rate of 15% compared to early stage melanomas that have 5-year survival rates of about 90%,” Loren Clarke, MD, vice president of medical affairs of dermatology at Myriad, said in the release. “The ability to accurately diagnose and treat melanoma early on is critical to obtaining favorable long-term clinical outcomes.”