How Molecular Profiling Works

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Well put! As you may be well aware, functional profiling is not a simple, turn-key solution. It is more a professional service, more than a simple laboratory test. It is sometimes thought of as practicing the specialty of Laboratory Oncology. The function of the Laboratory Oncologist is to utilize available forms of laboratory testing of live tumor biopsies to best individualize (personalize) cancer treatment with drugs. These forms of laboratory testing are based on multiple approaches, including traditional anatomic pathology, molecular genetics and cell biology (typically through the application of cell culture methodologies). The importance of Laboratory Oncology is that there is an exploding growth in the number of anti-cancer drugs, which tend to be of only partial and unpredictable efficacy, which are often toxic, and which are extremely expensive. There is a huge need for existing and improved methodologies to best match treatment to the patient.