Table 2.
Presence of scored elements in request forms from visited Belgian laboratories versus elements required by guidelines/standards
| Element | Present for tissue testing | Present for liquid biopsy testing | Required by Belgian standards [13,15,16,20] | Required by international guidelines [41] |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Request forms | N = 4 | N = 4 | ||
| Accessibility and design | ||||
| Molecular pathology dedicated form | 4 (100%) | 1 (25%) | ||
| Lung cancer dedicated form | 0 (0%) | 0 (0%) | ||
| Request available online | 4 (100%) | 4 (100%) | ||
| Testing technique specified | 4 (100%) | 3 (75%) | ||
| Online: summary of test methodology | 2 (50%) | 1 (25%) | ||
| Online: indications for testing | 2 (50%) | 3 (75%) | ✓ | |
| Online: recipient | 4 (100%) | 4 (100%) | ✓ | |
| Online: transport medium | 4 (100%) | NA | ✓ | |
| Online: max delay for transport | NA | 4 (100%) | ✓ | |
| Online: storage | 4 (100%) | 4 (100%) | ✓ | |
| Digital storage completed forms | 3 (75%) | 3 (75%) | ||
| Administrative elements | ||||
| Prescriber: name | 4 (100%) | 4 (100%) | ✓ | ✓ |
| Prescriber: address | 2 (50%) | 2 (50%) | ✓ | ✓ |
| Prescriber: RIZIV number or equivalent | 4 (100%) | 4 (100%) | ✓ | ✓ |
| Prescriber: department | 1 (25%) | 1 (25%) | ✓ | |
| Reimbursement info | 1 (25%) | 2 (50%) | ||
| General lab address | 4 (100%) | 4 (100%) | ✓ | |
| Contact person in lab | 1 (25%) | 2 (50%) | ||
| Patient characteristics | ||||
| Patient: name | 4 (100%) | 4 (100%) | ✓ | ✓ |
| Patient: DOB | 4 (100%) | 4 (100%) | ✓ | ✓ |
| Patient: gender | 4 (100%) | 4 (100%) | ✓ | ✓ |
| Patient: address | 4 (100%) | 4 (100%) | ✓ | ✓ |
| Patient: internal hospital ref | 4 (100% | 4 (100%) | ✓ | ✓ |
| Relevant patient history | 4 (100%) | 2 (50%) | ✓ | ✓ |
| Histology of tumor | 2 (50%) | 2 (50%) | ✓ | ✓ |
| Primary diagnosis | 1 (25%) | 3 (75%) | ✓ | |
| Previous tests performed | 3 (75%) | 3 (75%) | ✓ | |
| Original activating mutation | 1 (25%) | 2 (50%) | ✓ | |
| Previous therapies (type) | 4 (0%) | 1 (25%) | ✓ | |
| Previous therapies (time) | 0 (0%) | 0 (0%) | ||
| Progression/not | 3 (75%) | 3 (75%) | ✓ | |
| Progression type | 1 (25%) | 2 (50%) | ||
| Progression time | 0 (0%) | 0 (0%) | ||
| Location primary tumor | 3 (75%) | 3 (75%) | ||
| Tumor stage | 3 (75%) | 3 (75%) | ✓ | |
| Reason for testing | 0 (0%) | 1 (25%) | ✓ | ✓ |
| Sample characteristics | ||||
| Sample type | 4 (100%) | 4 (100%) | ✓ | ✓ |
| Number of slides/blocks/tubes | 3 (75%) | 4 (100%) | ||
| Fixative | 4 (100%) | NA | ||
| Fixation time | 4 (100%) | NA | ||
| Specification of total blood/plasma | NA | 0 (0%) | ||
| Type of collection tube | NA | 3 (75%) | ||
| Date of sample collection | NA | 3 (75%) | ✓ | |
| Time of sample collection | NA | 3 (75%) | ✓ | |
Numbers in bold: elements for which a large difference (≥ 30%) exists between tissue and liquid biopsy testing