[KristinSchwick]

GDP, you are preaching to the choir. I did not mean to start a debate, I agree with all you have pointed out. I just selfishly want microarrays to hit the consumer as I cannot donate a large chunk of my pelvis, as I have bone only mets, and my primary tumor is long gone. What is your advice there? What specimen could I send without drastically weakening my bones and negatively affecting my quality of life. I know there are rumors that surgery can aid metastasis if the cancer has been sequestered and controlled by our natural defenses. Hello immune cells. It mixes the pot, so to speak, causing inflammation.

It would be really great for this study to get some national recognition before patients/physicians decide to toss tumor samples. I am guessing (and correct me if I'm wrong) that when looking for clear margins they actually waste much of the specimen as they cut through the tumor to get to the borders.

Furthermore lymph nodes which provide many immune cells and mobilized cancer cells could provide lots of information, but they are flash frozen during surgery to determine if they are + or - for cancer. Much to the benefit of the patient on the exam table, of course.

Thanks for taking the time to type up all this information, your doing your wife a good justice.

Kristin