Variant allele frequency (VAF) is a measurement used in the genetic testing of tumours. It describes how common a specific genetic change is within a tested tissue sample and is usually reported as a percentage. Tumours are often tested for genetic changes because these changes can explain why a cancer developed, how it may behave, …
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Molecular testing is a type of laboratory testing that searches for specific changes in the genetic material (DNA or RNA) or proteins inside your cells. These changes can help doctors better understand the cause of a disease, how it might behave, and which treatments are most likely to be effective. Molecular testing is often performed …
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A mutation is a change in a gene, which is a piece of DNA that provides instructions for how a cell should function. In a molecular pathology report, the word “mutation” means that there has been a genetic change in the tumour’s DNA. Some mutations are harmless, while others can contribute to cancer development or …
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In a molecular pathology report, the word fusion refers to a specific genetic change in which two different genes that are normally separate join together. This joining creates a new, hybrid gene that produces an abnormal protein. These fusion events happen inside the cancer cells and are not something a person is born with. Because …
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