Retesting for FLT3 Mutation Status in AML

Jordan Clark, the chief commercial officer at Diaceutics, discusses FLT3 retesting in a relapsed acute myeloid leukemia (AML) setting.

Researchers conducted online surveys among hematology oncologists across five European countries (United Kingdom, Germany, Spain, France, and Italy) to gain their perspectives on the need for retesting for FLT3. There were recent publications showing that the stability of FLT3 is dynamic, according to Clark. The need for retesting is very important with second-generation FLT3 TKIs and to ensure physicians have an accurate status for that patient before they go on therapy, Clark added.

The surveys, conducted from 2018 to 2019, showed that there was a 43% increase in prevalence of FLT3 retesting rates among clinicians in the five European countries surveyed. The rise seems to result from increased awareness of the unstable status of FLT3 and an increase in education on targeted therapies in the second-line setting. Patients with AML who were being retested for FLT3 increased by 2.6 (14.9% to 38.3%) and 2.9 (15.9% to 45.4%) fold in FLT3-positive and -negative patients, respectively.