HER2 Support Group Forums - View Single Post - any tumor tests to predict which chemos work better?

fullofbeans · 02-13-2012, 05:48 AM

It seems to me that the tumor needs to be live to have chemo-sensitivity test?? so yes i believe it helps i.e. not snake oil, but I believe that you need to keep them live at time of removal/biopsy no?, It would not make sense that frozen sample can be tested on... who does this (take live sample biopsy? and culture it for test commercially, rational therapeutic seems to..but how do you send sample to them.. not very practical unless the centre testing is linked to your hospital tho..

For non solid cancer it is easier because they can simply use blood and it is easy to do (so yes for non solid cancer it should be the norm). But I would love to be wrong but in my opinion unless your sample is live (kept live or cultured straight away), then it is snake oil.

But what they can do it to give you the mutation Her2, PTEN, PI3K... which can help select..

02-13-2012, 05:48 AM	#6
fullofbeans Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: UK Posts: 617	Re: any tumor tests to predict which chemos work better? It seems to me that the tumor needs to be live to have chemo-sensitivity test?? so yes i believe it helps i.e. not snake oil, but I believe that you need to keep them live at time of removal/biopsy no?, It would not make sense that frozen sample can be tested on... who does this (take live sample biopsy? and culture it for test commercially, rational therapeutic seems to..but how do you send sample to them.. not very practical unless the centre testing is linked to your hospital tho.. For non solid cancer it is easier because they can simply use blood and it is easy to do (so yes for non solid cancer it should be the norm). But I would love to be wrong but in my opinion unless your sample is live (kept live or cultured straight away), then it is snake oil. But what they can do it to give you the mutation Her2, PTEN, PI3K... which can help select.. __________________ 35 y/o June 06: BC stage I Grade 3; ER/PR neg Her-2+++; lumpectomies Aug 06: Stage IV liver mets: 6 tumours July 06 to Jan 07: 2FEC+6Taxotere; 3TACE; LITT March 07- Sept 07: Vaccination trial (phase 2, peptide based) at the UW (Seattle). Herceptin since 2006 NED til Oct 09 Recurrence Oct 2009: to internal mammary gland since October 2009 missed on Oct and March 2010 scan.. palpable nodes in May 2010 when I realised.. Nov 2011:7 mets to lungs progressing fast failed hercp/tykerb/xeloda combo.. superior vena cava blocked: stent but face remains puffy April 2012: Teresa Trial, randomised to TDM1 Nov 2012 progressing on TDM1 Dec 2012 blockage of my airways by tumours, obliteration of these blocking tumours breathing better but hoping for more- at mo too many tumours to count in the lungs and nodes. Dec 2012 Starting new trial S-222611 phase 1b dual egfr her2+ inhibitor. 'Under no circumstances should you lose hope..' Dalai Lama Last edited by fullofbeans; 02-13-2012 at 06:12 AM..*