Genetic vs. genomic vs. chemo sensitivity test.

lp1964
lp1964 Member Posts: 1,239 Member
edited October 2013 in Colorectal Cancer #1

As I understand it there is three types of testing done on cancers.

1. Genetic test to determine whether you have certain genes that increase the possibility of cancer in you or your relatives. This can be done on a healthy person with family cancer history too. 

2. Genomic testing is performed when you already have cancer and they look into your cancer's DNA to see if the cancer is a certain type. (Kras positive, Kras wild etc.) This is important because certain type of colon cancers will not react to certain chemo drugs.

3. Chemo sensitivity test is done after a small piece of the cancer is removed. They want this sample within 24 hours after removal preserved a certain way. They will keep these cells alive and test different chemo dugs or combination of different drugs and see how the cancer cells react, therefore finding the most effective drugs for the particular cancer.

I had the first two done and having the last one performed after my cancer was removed last week.

I believe the last one is very important in practice and if interested go to the www.rationaltherapeutics.com.

Please correct or add your valuable knowledge to this.

Laz

Comments

  • emma_s
    emma_s Member Posts: 22
    Maintrac & Cellsearch testing

    Laz, there are some more tests that count Circulating Tumor Cells (CTC) – Maintrac (in Germany) and Cellsearch (in USA & Canada)

    My husband done Maintrac 2 blood tests, within 40 days gap between and the last result showed that CTCs were reduced by 3 times in comparison with the first one.

    So his Dr. says - this is a good sign and means that chemo works and he should continue the same regimen. What is really surprising me that his CEA at the time continue rising.

     

    Here is some information about these 2 tests:

     

    http://www.maintrac.com/diagnostics/faq.php

     

    “maintrac is a blood test that detects cells washed out from the tumor into the blood. These cells are responsible for the metastatic spread and thus for the further course of disease.

     Cancer therapies aim to destroy these cells.
    maintrac monitors the response to cancer therapies
    Cancer cells can change during the course of disease. Monitoring these cells in their number and structure is important for early tailoring therapy and for selecting the most effective drugs.

    By determining dynamics in the number of tumor cells, the tumor activity can be monitored.”


    https://www.cellsearchctc.com/  - gives a real-time prognostic information.

     

  • lp1964
    lp1964 Member Posts: 1,239 Member
    emma_s said:

    Maintrac & Cellsearch testing

    Laz, there are some more tests that count Circulating Tumor Cells (CTC) – Maintrac (in Germany) and Cellsearch (in USA & Canada)

    My husband done Maintrac 2 blood tests, within 40 days gap between and the last result showed that CTCs were reduced by 3 times in comparison with the first one.

    So his Dr. says - this is a good sign and means that chemo works and he should continue the same regimen. What is really surprising me that his CEA at the time continue rising.

     

    Here is some information about these 2 tests:

     

    http://www.maintrac.com/diagnostics/faq.php

     

    “maintrac is a blood test that detects cells washed out from the tumor into the blood. These cells are responsible for the metastatic spread and thus for the further course of disease.

     Cancer therapies aim to destroy these cells.
    maintrac monitors the response to cancer therapies
    Cancer cells can change during the course of disease. Monitoring these cells in their number and structure is important for early tailoring therapy and for selecting the most effective drugs.

    By determining dynamics in the number of tumor cells, the tumor activity can be monitored.”


    https://www.cellsearchctc.com/  - gives a real-time prognostic information.

     

    Wow,

    ...this is amazing! Do you know anything about how cancer cells break away and stick at a new site?

    Laz

  • emma_s
    emma_s Member Posts: 22
    Sorry, Laz

    Sorry Laz, I'm not that smart Frown...

    You know, we are all became some sort of explorers in our search for a cure...

    Emma

  • emma_s said:

    Maintrac & Cellsearch testing

    Laz, there are some more tests that count Circulating Tumor Cells (CTC) – Maintrac (in Germany) and Cellsearch (in USA & Canada)

    My husband done Maintrac 2 blood tests, within 40 days gap between and the last result showed that CTCs were reduced by 3 times in comparison with the first one.

    So his Dr. says - this is a good sign and means that chemo works and he should continue the same regimen. What is really surprising me that his CEA at the time continue rising.

     

    Here is some information about these 2 tests:

     

    http://www.maintrac.com/diagnostics/faq.php

     

    “maintrac is a blood test that detects cells washed out from the tumor into the blood. These cells are responsible for the metastatic spread and thus for the further course of disease.

     Cancer therapies aim to destroy these cells.
    maintrac monitors the response to cancer therapies
    Cancer cells can change during the course of disease. Monitoring these cells in their number and structure is important for early tailoring therapy and for selecting the most effective drugs.

    By determining dynamics in the number of tumor cells, the tumor activity can be monitored.”


    https://www.cellsearchctc.com/  - gives a real-time prognostic information.

     

    This is very interesting.

    This is very interesting. Thanks for sharing the info emma_s! and thanks to Laz for starting this thread!