Survey: Genetic Tumor Typing

gkukurin

Just curious, how many folks in this board had their tumors genetically typed before beginning therapy?

Thanks in advance for your response.

cabbott

Testing
They had to do microgenetic testing on my tumor because it was an adenocarcinoma and I had a previous history of breast adenocarcinoma. When they did the genetic testing though, I wasn't stage 4 breast cancer. Instead I was stage 1 lung cancer. Go figure! The chemos are totally different and I was glad they checked. Otherwise, I would have gone through chemo for no good reason.

cabbott

Testing
They had to do microgenetic testing on my tumor because it was an adenocarcinoma and I had a previous history of breast adenocarcinoma. When they did the genetic testing though, I wasn't stage 4 breast cancer. Instead I was stage 1 lung cancer. Go figure! The chemos are totally different and I was glad they checked. Otherwise, I would have gone through chemo for no good reason.

cabbott

Testing
They had to do microgenetic testing on my tumor because it was an adenocarcinoma and I had a previous history of breast adenocarcinoma. When they did the genetic testing though, I wasn't stage 4 breast cancer. Instead I was stage 1 lung cancer. Go figure! The chemos are totally different and I was glad they checked. Otherwise, I would have gone through chemo for no good reason.

gkukurin

cabbott said:

Testing
They had to do microgenetic testing on my tumor because it was an adenocarcinoma and I had a previous history of breast adenocarcinoma. When they did the genetic testing though, I wasn't stage 4 breast cancer. Instead I was stage 1 lung cancer. Go figure! The chemos are totally different and I was glad they checked. Otherwise, I would have gone through chemo for no good reason.

Thanks Cabbott
My father-in-law has recently DX'd with Stage IV NSCLC. I had never heard of genetic typing. His oncologist never mentioned it. After consulting with a number of other oncologists, the subject was mentioned. I was curious how often (or not) this type of tumor typing is recommend BEFORE a specific treatment is instituted???

Anyone else care to comment?

TY

G

cabbott

gkukurin said:

Thanks Cabbott
My father-in-law has recently DX'd with Stage IV NSCLC. I had never heard of genetic typing. His oncologist never mentioned it. After consulting with a number of other oncologists, the subject was mentioned. I was curious how often (or not) this type of tumor typing is recommend BEFORE a specific treatment is instituted???

Anyone else care to comment?

TY

G

Another kind of typing
Sometimes a particular treatment will only work on certain genetic types. I have a friend with lung cancer that is inoperable. Before they started her on a particular chemo, they did some genetic typing to make sure her kind of lung cancer would respond to it. She did not tell me the details, but I know of others that had that kind of testing. It is becoming more common in other kinds of cancer too. Before you get tamoxifen for breast cancer now my insurance company requires genetic typing to make sure you are a "responder". Otherwise they will pay for medicine that will do no good.

I would be interested in knowing what kind of testing is recommended for your father-in-law to make sure he is a "responder".

Retiredsis

Genetic Testing
I was on Tarceva for 7 months but no testing was done. My cancer came back and I asked my oncologist to arrange for testing of Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor. It turns out I am negative so Tarceva didn't work for me but apparently does work for some folks who are negative and that is why my onc prescribed it. I also was tested for KRAS mutation which was positive. I believe this also shows resistance to anti-EGFR therapy. I am now off of Tarceva and having cyberknife surgery this week.