Advanced New Cancer Testing: Determining Best Treatment Options
The Stram Center is excited to introduce advanced laboratory testing that offers a personalized approach to cancer therapy by testing and analyzing blood samples for the presence of circulating tumor cells (CTC’s), cancer stem cells (CSC’s), and cancer-related genetic information. CTC’s are defined as tumor cells that have been sloughed from the primary tumor and are now circulating in the blood cell or lymph. A percentage of CTC’s are recognized as CSC’s. Both CTC’s and CSC’s are responsible for cancer spread or metastasis and resistance to treatment. Therefore, knowing both the amount and characteristics of CTC’s can be very important during and post treatment.
Testing offers tumor gene expression profiling. This component of the test examines genes within cancer cells to assess its aggressiveness. This helps to understand how the tumor is likely to behave and the best ways to target it.
The test also analyzes how cancer cells respond to different therapies including chemotherapeutics and natural substances. Knowing which therapies are the most sensitive and effective can provide a roadmap for personalized treatment strategies based on the individual’s specific cancer cell profile.
Testing can be used for early detection and monitoring. Since it can detect small amounts of cancer that remain after treatment, it can be used to monitor for recurrence which allows for early intervention. Testing can be beneficial for individuals with a cancer diagnosis looking for personalized therapy options that includes an integrative approach with conventional and complimentary therapies. Testing can be done on most types of cancer but excludes primary brain and central nervous system forms of cancer since these do not typically produce CTC’s.
If there is a strong family history of cancer or other known risk factors, then a specific cancer screening tests can be performed. Testing is meant to detect cancer before symptoms appear
and accuracy is between 90-95%.
In summary, we can offer different types of cancer testing based on where one is at during one's journey. Whether it's for screening, at diagnosis, or in remission, testing can provide valuable information that can potentially improve overall outcomes.
1. Lin, D., Shen, L., Luo, M. et al. Circulating tumor cells: biology and clinical significance. Sig Transduct Target Ther 6, 404 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41392-021-00817-8
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