The online edition of the Journal of Internal Medicine reported the discovery of the first practical laboratory test to guide the use of new-generation drugs that kill cancer cells by cutting off their blood supply. The new test, called the Microvessel Vascular (AngioRx™) assay, was developed by Larry Weisenthal, MD, PhD., a medical oncologist who operates a cancer testing laboratory in Huntington Beach, California.
Tumor Cell Profiling is a test to show if your cancer cells were killed by exposure to one or more of the 20 or so different anti-cancer drugs that might otherwise have been considered as possible treatments for your type of cancer. It is a test that can help determine which cancer drugs would appear to be the best treatment plan.
The test works by measuring drug effects upon endothelial cells which make up blood vessels. Its use could prolong lives, save money, and spare patients exposure to harmful side-effects of ineffective chemotherapy treatments.
To have the test done, a biopsy needs to be delivered for the cells to be studied. Fees for a complete 20 to 25 drug "functional" Tumor Cell Profiling analysis are in the neighborhood of $5,000. The procedure is covered by Medicare and some insurers as well.
According to Dr. Weisenthal, therapeutic levels of alcohol in the bloodstream theoretically could be achieved simply by drinking wine or another alcoholic beverages in prescribed doses concurrent with receiving angiogenesis-inhibiting drugs. Dr. Weisenthal finds support in actual case studies reported in the medical literature.
Dr. Weisenthal says that he would like to see the test become available to patients worldwide through service agreements with larger laboratory companies or with a biotechnology company which might develop a testing kit for sale to hospitals and laboratories. He also would like to license the test to pharmaceutical companies for use in new drug development.
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