HER2 Support Group Forums - View Single Post - Has anyone had a tumor sensitivity test done?

Chelee · 05-16-2011, 11:01 PM

Deena,
Back in Dec. I went for a 2nd opinion at another center. The onc ordered a PET scan for me which showed increased uptake in my ilium. (It had been a stable bone met for a long time.) Due to the increased uptake of bone mets this onc wanted a bone biopsy 1st before going forward. He told me he was going to have the biopsy sent out to two different places and have the RNA and DNA checked and go from there.

The report was much more extensive then I thought it would be. I had no idea it would have that much information because it wasn't explained to me. The worse part was waiting for the report to get back...it took almost a month. I was told it would take about two or three wks at the most. (So if you have it done it can take a while.) I think the only reason this test was ran was because I was asking about a clinical trial they were running? I've spoken to a few other onc's since then and it seems most centers do not want to run these tests. I'm sure one reason is they are expensive. You may have problems with your insurance company giving approval for this? The testing for my biopsy was done by "Caris Life Sciences". I have what they call a "Target Now" report. Here is the link to their website if you want to read about them and see what's in the report? Good luck to you.

http://www.carislifesciences.com/oncology-target-now

Chelee

05-16-2011, 11:01 PM	#14
Chelee Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Southern, CA Posts: 2,511	Re: Has anyone had a tumor sensitivity test done? Deena, Back in Dec. I went for a 2nd opinion at another center. The onc ordered a PET scan for me which showed increased uptake in my ilium. (It had been a stable bone met for a long time.) Due to the increased uptake of bone mets this onc wanted a bone biopsy 1st before going forward. He told me he was going to have the biopsy sent out to two different places and have the RNA and DNA checked and go from there. The report was much more extensive then I thought it would be. I had no idea it would have that much information because it wasn't explained to me. The worse part was waiting for the report to get back...it took almost a month. I was told it would take about two or three wks at the most. (So if you have it done it can take a while.) I think the only reason this test was ran was because I was asking about a clinical trial they were running? I've spoken to a few other onc's since then and it seems most centers do not want to run these tests. I'm sure one reason is they are expensive. You may have problems with your insurance company giving approval for this? The testing for my biopsy was done by "Caris Life Sciences". I have what they call a "Target Now" report. Here is the link to their website if you want to read about them and see what's in the report? Good luck to you. http://www.carislifesciences.com/oncology-target-now Chelee __________________ DX: 12-20-05 - Stage IIIA, Her2/Neu, 3+++,Er & Pr weakly positive, 5 of 16 pos nodes. Rt. MRM on 1-3-06 -- No Rads due to compromised lungs. Chemo started 2-7-06 -- TCH - - Finished 6-12-06 Finished yr of wkly herceptin 3-19-07 3-15-07 Lt side prophylactic simple mastectomy. -- Ooph 4-05-07 9-21-09 PET/CT "Recurrence" to Rt. axllia, Rt. femur, ilium. Possible Sacrum & liver? Now stage IV. 9-28-09 Loading dose of Herceptin & started Zometa 9-29-09 Power Port Placement 10-24-09 Mass 6.4 x 4.7 cm on Rt. femur head. 11-19-09 RT. Femur surgery - Rod placed 12-7-09 Navelbine added to Herceptin/Zometa. 3-23-10 Ten days of rads to RT femur. Completed. 4-05-10 Quit Navelbine--Herceptin/Zometa alone. 5-4-10 Appt. with Dr. Slamon to see what is next? Waiting on FISH results from femur biopsy. Results to FISH was unsuccessful--this happens less then 2% of the time. 7-7-10 Recurrence to RT axilla again. Back to UCLA for options. Last edited by Chelee; 05-17-2011 at 02:33 AM.. Reason: Spelling error...