On World Health Day, MedGenome said India’s first prospective study evaluating the clinical utility of RNA-based next-generation sequencing (NGS) in soft tissue and bone sarcoma diagnosis has shown significant gains in diagnostic precision and treatment planning.

Conducted with leading hospitals across India between 2022 and 2025 and published in the Journal of Global Oncology, the study found that integrating targeted RNA sequencing into multidisciplinary team (MDT) workflowssubstantially improved diagnostic clarity for sarcoma patients with ambiguous or complex clinical presentations.

The study evaluated 68 patients whose diagnoses remained unclear after pathological review and MDT assessment. All samples were analyzed using the company’s CAP-accredited indigenous RNA fusion panel, aligned with the WHO 2021 classification for sarcomas.

The findings showed that RNA-based NGS generated clinically actionable insights in 50% of the evaluated cases. More notably, diagnostic refinement or reclassification was achieved in over 40% of patients, while treatment decisions changed in more than 25% of cases based on molecular findings.

“We are pleased to have demonstrated how our in-house developed RNA sequencing platform for sarcoma diagnosis complements conventional testing,” said Vedam Ramprasad, CEO, MedGenome.

“This study also reaffirms MedGenome’s commitment to Aatmanirbhar Bharat and provides definite evidence that affordable indigenous solutions can deliver high diagnostic value for one of the most challenging cancer types. We hope this will guide more accurate diagnosis and personalized treatment for sarcomas and provide positive outcomes for patients across the country,” he added.

“Sarcomas often sit at the crossroads of overlapping morphology and unpredictable clinical behaviour,” said Charu Bahl, General Manager – Scientific Affairs, MedGenome Labs Ltd.

“For a large proportion of patients, conventional tools such as Histopathology, Immunohistochemistry (IHC), or Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization (FISH) are not enough to arrive at a definitive diagnosis. This prospective study distinctly shows that RNA-based NGS offers the resolution we need to classify difficult tumours correctly and, in many cases, course-correct treatment plans before precious time is lost,” Bahl said.

The study, according to the company, demonstrates India’s growing capability to build affordable indigenous precision diagnostics that can be deployed even in resource-constrained healthcare settings through selective, MDT-guided testing.