My genomic report shows no actionable mutations. Does that mean there are no options?
Not necessarily. "No actionable mutations" usually means nothing matched an approved targeted drug for your cancer type on that panel. It does not rule out fusions the panel may miss, biomarkers reported elsewhere (such as TMB, MSI, or PD-L1), variants relevant to clinical trials, or changes that have appeared since the sample was taken.
What the phrase usually means
Labs sort findings into tiers. "Actionable" generally means a match to an approved therapy or a guideline recommendation for your tumor type. Everything else can end up in sections few people read: variants of uncertain significance, trial-relevant findings, and immunotherapy markers.
- Was the panel DNA only, or did it include RNA for fusion detection?
- Were TMB, MSI, and PD-L1 reported, and what were the values?
- Is the sample old, or taken before later treatment?
- Are any listed variants linked to open clinical trials?
- Was the tumor content in the sample high enough for a reliable result?
Turning the report into a productive visit
A Clarity Report reads the whole document, explains each finding in plain language, notes testing gaps, and gives you specific questions for your oncologist. The goal is a better-informed conversation, not a promise that something will be found.
Related questions
Should I ask for another test?
Sometimes a different panel, an RNA-based fusion test, or a liquid biopsy is reasonable. It depends on cancer type, what was already tested, and the sample. That is a question for your oncologist, and a review can help you frame it.
Reviewed 2026-10-11 by Kim Lockheimer, PhD, DFM.