1570 – PD-L1 (Programmed Death Ligand 1) immunohistochemistry (IHC) testing for access to atezolizumab as first line therapy for patients with locally advanced or metastatic triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC)

New MBS item(s).

The proposed medical service is an IHC test for evaluation of PD-L1 expression to determine eligibility for treatment with atezolizumab in patients with locally advanced or metastatic TNBC who are previously untreated in the advanced setting. The biopsy sample taken as part of a standard diagnostic process will be used for immunohistochemical testing with PD-L1. The testing would be done by a pathologist alongside other immunohistochemical tests which are done routinely.

Type: Co-dependent technology

Breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer among women and is the leading cause of cancer related deaths in women word-wide (1, 2). Triple negative breast cancer, a distinct subtype of breast cancer with the worst prognosis, is characterised immunohistologically by the lack of expression of hormonal estrogen receptor (ER) and progesterone receptor (PgR) and lack of overexpression and/or amplification of the human epidermal growth factor 2 (HER2)/NEU gene (3).

• PASC meeting: 11 April 2019
• ESC meeting: 13 to 14 February 2020
• MSAC meeting: 
  • 3 April 2020
  • 31 March - 1 April 2021