What are the Clinical Implications of MSI Testing?
The results of MSI testing can have several clinical implications:
1. Diagnostic and Screening Purposes - MSI testing can help identify individuals with Lynch syndrome, who may benefit from increased cancer surveillance and risk-reducing strategies.
2. Therapeutic Decisions - MSI-H tumors are often more responsive to immunotherapy. This has led to the approval of immune checkpoint inhibitors for the treatment of MSI-H cancers, regardless of the tumor's origin.
3. Prognostic Information - MSI-H status is associated with a better prognosis in certain cancers, such as colorectal cancer, compared to MSS status. However, the prognostic implications can vary based on the type and stage of cancer.
