ARCAGEN highlights the potential of molecular profiling in rare cancers

The final results of ARCAGEN, an initiative of EORTC-SPECTA and EURACAN, demonstrate the potential of comprehensive molecular profiling to identify treatment opportunities for patients with advanced rare cancers.

Between 2020 and 2023, 1,235 patients from 13 European countries were enrolled across 11 rare cancer domains. Molecular profiling identified actionable molecular alterations in 69.4% of evaluable patients, illustrating the value of genomic testing in guiding personalised treatment strategies.

For patients whose treatment was adapted based on molecular findings, encouraging outcomes were observed. Among those receiving targeted therapies, median overall survival was 3.3 years, compared with 1.1 years for patients whose treatment was not adapted.

The study also demonstrated the feasibility of implementing molecular profiling across European healthcare systems, using both tumour tissue and circulating tumour DNA (ctDNA). These findings are particularly relevant for rare cancers, where access to specialised expertise, molecular testing and innovative treatments can vary considerably between countries.

ARCAGEN reinforces the importance of European collaboration and networks such as EURACAN in bringing precision oncology closer to patients with rare cancers and in helping translate molecular advances into meaningful treatment options.

Read the full results: DOI