Training activity information
Details
Prepare a range of interpretative reports for ctDNA testing in lung cancer
Type
Developmental training activity (DTA)
Evidence requirements
Evidence the activity has been undertaken by the trainee.
Reflection on the activity at one or more time points after the event including learning from the activity and/or areas of the trainees practice for development.
An action plan to implement learning and/or to address skills or knowledge gaps identified.
Reflective practice guidance
The guidance below is provided to support reflection at different time points, providing you with questions to aid you to reflect for this training activity. They are provided for guidance and should not be considered as a mandatory checklist. Trainees should not be expected to provide answers to each of the guidance questions listed.
Before action
- What are the essential components of an interpretative report for ctDNA testing in breast and lung cancer?
- How do you effectively communicate the clinical significance of ctDNA findings, including information on variant allele frequencies and potential therapeutic implications?
- Are you aware of any specific reporting guidelines or templates used for ctDNA in your laboratory?
- Consider potential challenges you might face in reporting on dynamic changes in ctDNA profiles over time.
- Review relevant reporting guidelines and best practices for ctDNA in breast and lung cancer.
- Consider potential difficulties you might face in clearly articulating the clinical implications of ctDNA findings and think about how you might structure your report.
In action
- Pay attention to your actions. How are you structuring the ctDNA report? What information are you including about the ctDNA assay and its limitations? Why are you highlighting specific findings in the report? What decisions are you making about how to convey the clinical implications of the ctDNA results? What aspects of preparing a ctDNA report feel intuitive, and what requires more conscious effort (e.g., explaining ctDNA results to clinicians)?
- How effective are you at translating the technical findings of the ctDNA test into a clinically relevant interpretation? What challenges are you facing while writing this report (e.g., conveying uncertainty, integrating clinical context)? What can you learn about preparing ctDNA reports as you proceed? How does this activity relate to your understanding of how ctDNA testing is used in breast and lung cancer management?
- Are there alternative ways you could be phrasing the report to ensure it is easily understood by the intended audience? Do you need to seek guidance on how to present specific ctDNA findings at this moment? Are you ensuring that your report reflects the limitations and potential of ctDNA testing?
On action
- What did you notice during the preparation of interpretative reports for ctDNA testing in breast and lung cancer? Summarise the key information you included and any challenges you faced in presenting this information clearly.
- What did you learn about effectively communicating the findings of ctDNA testing, including its clinical context and limitations, in a written report? Were there any unexpected difficulties in conveying the information? What did you learn from these? Did any decisions you made regarding the structure or content of the report impact its clarity and accuracy?
- What areas for improvement in your interpretative reporting skills for ctDNA have you identified? How can you apply the learning from this activity to future report writing? What actions will you take to further develop your reporting skills, and what guidance or examples might be helpful?
Beyond action
- Have you revisited your reflections on preparing ctDNA reports for breast and lung cancer? How has your approach to communicating the findings of ctDNA testing in written reports changed?
- What learning or actions related to effectively communicating ctDNA findings in a report are now more evident?5
- Share examples of your ctDNA reports with colleagues and ask for feedback. Has this helped you to identify areas for improvement in your communication style?
- How has this experience impacted your current practice in preparing clinical reports, particularly those involving complex or novel testing methodologies?
- How has this DTA contributed to your overall training experience, perhaps enhancing your ability to tailor your communication to specific test types and their clinical implications?
- How has your skill in preparing interpretative reports for ctDNA evolved since this activity, particularly in terms of clarity, conciseness, and inclusion of relevant clinical context?
Relevant learning outcomes
| # | Outcome |
|---|---|
| # 2 |
Outcome
Analyse, interpret and prepare interpretive reports of clinically relevant findings for patients with central nervous system (CNS), sarcoma tumours, and somatic and germline variants in ovarian and breast cancer. |
| # 4 |
Outcome
Interpret QC data including bioinformatic and NGS quality metrics in relation to assay performance, EQA and ISO:15189 standards. |
| # 5 |
Outcome
Analyse, interpret and prepare interpretive reports for circulating tumour DNA (ctDNA) testing in solid tumours, to include lung and breast cancer. |
| # 8 |
Outcome
Practice with relevant specialties for the diagnosis and treatment of cancer patients, and contribute to multidisciplinary team meetings. |