Direct oral anticoagulants—new guidance, lab testing
January 2026—The Association for Diagnostics and Laboratory Medicine released new guidance discouraging clot-based testing in patients receiving direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs).
Webinars and Sponsored Roundtables — Register Now
Tuesday, April 28, 2026, 12:00 PM–1:00 PM ET
Discover how next-day comprehensive genomic profiling (CGP) is possible with the Oncomine Comprehensive Assay Plus on the Genexus System—delivering both speed and accuracy.
Webinar presenters Jane Bayani, MHSc, PhD, Assistant Professor and Co-Director, Diagnostic Development, Ontario Institute for Cancer Research, Canada, and Nicola Normanno, MD, Scientific Director, IRCCS Romagnolo Institute for the Study of Tumors, Italy, and Morten Grauslund, PhD, Molecular Biologist, Department of Pathology, Rigshospitalet/Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Moderated by: Bob McGonnagle, Publisher, CAP TODAY
CAP TODAY does not endorse any of the products or services named within. The webinar is made possible by a special educational grant from Thermo Fisher Scientific. For Research Use Only. Not for use in diagnostic applications.
Thursday, April 30, 2026, 11:00 AM–12:00 PM ET
Hear an expert discuss how Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC) is utilizing
the oncoReveal® Nexus 21-gene panel to redefine turnaround time and actionable insights
in cancer care. Dr. Ewalt shares a perceptive look at the clinical need for rapid, front-line NGS sequencing, and how a unique, purpose built targeted NGS panel (Pillar Biosciences’ oncoReveal Nexus 21 gene Panel) was developed, validated and implemented clinically by Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK-REACT) to complement their current comprehensive genomic profiling (CGP) approach.
Webinar presenter Mark Ewalt, MD, Associate Medical Director for Laboratory Operations for Diagnostic Molecular Pathology in the Molecular Diagnostics Service, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, MSKCC.
Moderated by: Bob McGonnagle, Publisher, CAP TODAY
CAP TODAY does not endorse any of the products or services named within. The webinar is made possible by a special educational grant from Pillar Biosciences.
Thursday, May 28, 2026, 1:00–2:00 PM ET
This session is designed to improve understanding and application of recent updates to synoptic pathology reporting protocols such as the latest Reporting Template for Reporting Results of Biomarker Testing of Specimens from Patients with Carcinoma of the Breast. These changes reflect evolving clinical guidelines that directly influence diagnostic accuracy and treatment selection in breast cancer care.
Webinar presenters Thaer Khoury, MD, FCAP, Chair, Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Cente, and Colin Murphy, CEO of mTuitive.
Moderated by: Bob McGonnagle, Publisher, CAP TODAY
Subspecialties
Interactive Product Guides
ARTICLES
How two labs took on in-house sequencing
Bringing next-generation sequencing (NGS) in-house can be approached in two ways: a rapid, comprehensive implementation or a gradual, progressive build. Florida Cancer Specialists opted for a rapid approach, starting with a complex pancancer solid tumor panel, which facilitated the addition of smaller assays.
Working out AI validation and implementation
The CAP Artificial Intelligence Committee is developing a guide for laboratories on implementing AI, covering the entire machine learning life cycle. While laboratories can begin using AI now, they must ensure full validation, even for FDA-approved tools, due to potential biases and population drift.
Respiratory season panels, subtypes, and a new Survey
The absence of CDC surveillance data due to the government shutdown has created uncertainty about the severity and impact of the current respiratory virus season. While regional public health surveillance provides some insights, concerns remain about the potential for a severe season, exacerbated by vaccine hesitancy and changes in vaccine guidance.
Privacy, cost, safety—drone use for patient samples
Northwestern Medicine Delnor Hospital piloted a program using drones for transporting patient samples and blood products between the hospital and cancer center. The program, using Valqari drones, achieved a 100% success rate in delivering 303 packages without any damage or temperature fluctuations.
Why and how lab curbed its CBC and diff orders
Massachusetts General Hospital implemented a clinical decision support solution to reduce unnecessary CBC and differential orders, particularly for inpatients. The solution involved an interruptive alert that targeted daily, more than daily, and as-needed orders, recommending alternative orders like CBCs without differentials.
Medicare physician fee schedule: Modest Medicare pay increase offset by ‘efficiency adjustment’
Pathologists will receive a 0.34% payment rate increase in the 2026 Medicare physician fee schedule, offset by a 2.5% efficiency adjustment. The College of American Pathologists (CAP) opposes this adjustment, arguing it inaccurately reflects the value of pathology and laboratory medicine and ignores the increasing complexity of medical practice.
Identification of rare PML::RARA variant missed by traditional molecular testing
A 21-year-old male with a history of acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) presented with symptoms suggestive of relapse. While standard tests like qRT-PCR and amplicon-based sequencing failed to detect the PML::RARA fusion, AMP NGS revealed an atypical bcr2 transcript with a novel breakpoint.
LIS vendors, lab experts on standards and stakeholders
A roundtable discussion on laboratory information systems (LIS) focused on the application of AI in lab workflows. Participants emphasized the need for AI to be used as a targeted tool to augment human work, highlighting its potential in streamlining documentation, coding, and data extraction.
AI starting points and stepping stones
Laboratories considering AI-driven workflows should first identify the specific problem they aim to solve and assess if simpler coding solutions are sufficient. While out-of-the-box AI solutions from vendors offer a lower barrier to entry, laboratories must ensure these solutions align with their workflows and validate them in their own environments.