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  6. Biomarker Testing
  7. MET

MET and Lung Cancer

Testing for MET Amplification, MET overexpression, and Exon 14 Skipping helps your doctor understand your lung cancer and recommend treatments that may work better for you.

MET at a Glance:

  • Alterations in the MET gene are a type of lung cancer biomarker.
  • If you have a very high number of MET gene copies, comprehensive biomarker testing can help match you to a MET targeted therapy that you might respond better to.  
  • You can ask for comprehensive biomarker testing at diagnosis or if treatment stops working.

Frequently Asked Questions about Biomarker Testing

What Is MET?

There are three MET biomarkers that have relevance in lung cancer at this time, where changes, or alterations can cause tumors to grow.  

MET gene amplification occurs when there are extra copies of the MET gene in the body leading to uncontrolled cell growth. This alteration is relatively uncommon in lung cancer but MET gene amplification can be a predictive biomarker for some patients.

Mutations in the MET gene that cause a part of the gene called "exon 14” to be removed (or skipped) can cause uncontrolled cell growth. MET exon 14 skipping is a specific alteration where part of the MET gene called “exon 14” is removed or skipped. This change also leads to uncontrolled cell growth and has the most implications for lung cancer treatment.

MET overexpression is when the MET protein is present in large quantities on the surface of cancer cells.

Who is more likely to have MET alterations?

MET gene alterations are most commonly seen in adenocarcinoma non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), but they can also occur in squamous NSCLC. About 5% of patients with lung cancer have MET exon 14 skipping, while a smaller percentage of patients have MET gene amplification.

Why MET Biomarker Testing Matters

Biomarker testing matters for someone with a MET‑positive lung cancer because it shows exactly which type of MET change they have, and different MET alterations respond to different treatments. It can also reveal whether a patient is eligible for MET‑targeted therapies or clinical trials that are designed specifically for their mutation. Comprehensive biomarker testing helps care teams choose the treatments most likely to work and avoid those that may not be effective. 

Biomarker testing looks for specific genetic changes in the tumor to help guide treatment. Testing includes DNA-based tests to identify changes in the genes themselves, and RNA-based tests to measure how those genes behave, giving your care team a fuller picture of your tumor makeup and available treatment options.

How Is MET Testing Done?

Testing is usually done at diagnosis or when treatment changes. Your doctor will need to test your tumor through a tissue or blood (liquid) biopsy. There are several different types of tests that doctors use to look for changes, or biomarkers in your cells:

  • Fluorescence in Situ Hybridization, or FISH, analysis is a common genetic test. FISH analysis looks at changes in the chromosomes through tissue under a microscope.
  • Immunohistochemistry (IHC) looks for proteins in the cell under a microscope.
  • Next-generation sequencing (NGS), also called comprehensive biomarker testing, is when tissue from a patient's tumor (gathered from a biopsy) is placed in a machine that looks for many possible biomarkers at one time.
  • Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) is a laboratory method used to make many copies of a specific genetic sequence for analysis.

Your doctor may perform several of these tests at the same time to help confirm results. Different biomarkers rely more heavily on certain tests.

Testing for MET looks for changes in the MET gene that may help guide treatment. Doctors usually use next‑generation sequencing (NGS), FISH, and IHC to identify MET alterations, including MET exon 14 skipping, MET amplification, or MET overexpression. In some cases, PCR‑based tests or RNA‑based testing may also be used. A liquid biopsy can sometimes detect MET changes when tissue is limited.

Learn more about the different types of biomarker tests. 

Understanding Your MET Test Results

A MET alteration (such as MET exon 14 skipping or MET amplification) may make targeted MET therapies or MET‑focused clinical trials available.

If no MET alteration is found, other biomarkers (like EGFR, ALK, KRAS, or PD‑L1) may guide which treatments are most appropriate.

If results are inconclusive, additional testing (such as a repeat tissue test or liquid biopsy) may be needed to determine whether a MET alteration is present.

How MET Results Influence Treatment

A MET alteration may help guide treatment decisions. Treatment recommendations depend on the type of MET alteration identified, the stage of cancer, previous treatments, and your overall health.

For patients whose lung cancer has spread, the standard of care for first-line treatment of MET exon 14 skipping is one of the targeted therapy MET inhibitor drugs:

  • Capmatinib (Tabrecta)
  • Tepotinib (Tepmetko)

Telisotuzumab vedotin-tllv (Emrelis, AbbVie Inc.) is approved for adults with locally advanced or metastatic, non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with high c-Met protein overexpression (50% or greater).

Other treatment options may include:

Some physicians may recommend immunotherapy and/or chemotherapy before MET inhibitors.

If you have MET gene amplification, you may receive immunotherapy with or without chemotherapy.

Other lines of treatment may include clinical trials of MET inhibitors.

Much is being studied about MET alterations. All patients with lung cancer should talk to their doctors about clinical trials.

Questions to Ask Your Doctor

Work with your doctor to discuss your goals and options each time you have to review and interpret test results to make a treatment decision. The three big questions to ask are:

  • What is the goal of this treatment?
  • What are the potential side effects?
  • What other options do I have?

Research is happening at a rapid pace, and your doctor should be up to date on the recommendations for your specific type of lung cancer. If you don’t feel comfortable with the answers you are receiving, do not hesitate to seek out a second opinion.

What to Do After a MET Diagnosis

Someone with a MET‑positive lung cancer diagnosis can take several empowering steps to stay ahead of their care. These are general medical information steps, not personal medical directives, and it’s important to work closely with a qualified healthcare professional for decisions about diagnosis or treatment. 

MET changes can occur in different ways, such as MET exon 14 skipping, MET amplification, MET overexpression, or MET point mutations, and knowing the exact alteration helps determine whether MET‑targeted therapies or clinical trials may be appropriate.

Next‑generation sequencing (NGS) can identify MET alterations along with other biomarkers (like EGFR, KRAS, ALK, PD‑L1, or TP53) that may influence treatment planning or eligibility for targeted options. 

If tissue was limited or if more information is needed later, a blood‑based ctDNA test may detect MET alterations or emerging resistance changes as treatment progresses. 

MET exon 14 skipping and high‑level MET amplification are recognized biomarkers in non‑small cell lung cancer, and guidelines outline when MET‑targeted therapies or clinical trials may be considered. 

Having your reports available helps you track what has already been tested, understand your mutation profile, and avoid delays if you seek a second opinion or explore clinical trial options. 

Support for People with MET-Positive Lung Cancer

Lung cancer research can move at a rapid pace. Always speak with your doctor about the most up-to-date treatment guidelines.

Medically reviewed by: Jorge Gomez, MD
Last reviewed: June 2026 

Page last updated: August 6, 2026

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