Lina and Daniel
About Us
Quick Facts
Services
Standard Drugs
EGFR Drugs
Angiogenesis Drugs
Interpreting Results
You and Your Doctor
Specimen Info
Methods Used
Case Studies
Fees & Insurance
Glossary
Useful Links
Contact Us


Here is a brief summary of basic facts.  It quickly covers the questions most commonly asked.  For further information and also for a slightly different - and in some cases more technical - view you might wish to view the Healthcare Professionals section.

 

What is Functional Tumor Cell Profiling?

Thousands of individual processes and chemical interactions occurring within a cancer cell determine whether or not the cell will or will not respond to treatment with a chemotherapy drug.  Functional Tumor Cell Profiling assesses the combined effect of all of these processes as they occur in real time within the living cancer cell.  (To learn more about "Functional" profiling versus "Static" profiling and "Whole Cell" profiling versus "Partial Cell" profiling, please click here.)

 

How is Functional Tumor Cell Profiling performed?

Living cancer cells are removed from your body and are exposed in the laboratory over a carefully controlled 96 hour incubation period to many different anti-cancer drugs.  The cells are not "grown," as in older methods.  (Click here to read more about the incubation process.)  For each patient, the effect of each drug upon the cancer cells is measured using three different laboratory technologies for increased accuracy and to obtain the maximum amount of information about your cancer cells (Why three? Click here.)  Each technology evaluates tumor cell killing in a manner which is complementary to that of the other technologies which we select for you. (Cell Death versus cell proliferation? Click here for an explanation.)  The choice of technologies used for your comprehensive analysis is based upon your cancer type, the specific drugs being tested, and factors specific to your individual specimen.  Each activity measurement is analyzed by comparison with an extensive index database.   Weisenthal Cancer Group has developed an index database which is far more detailed than those used by other laboratories in order to accord the maximum relevance and reliability to your Profile results.  For more information on the importance of the Weisenthal Cancer Group index database, please click here.

 

Who is responsible for evaluating and reporting the results of my profiling studies?

Results of all of the tests are personally and individually evaluated by Larry Weisenthal, M.D., Ph.D., an NCI-trained, board certified Medical Oncologist (cancer physician) who also holds a Ph.D. in pharmacology.  Pharmacology is the study of the chemical properties, mechanisms of activity, and the effects and side-effects of drugs.  Dr. Weisenthal microscopically examines your tumor cells before and after testing, along with data produced by the three different technologies used on your behalf.  Then, within the context of your clinical situation and treatment history, he interprets data produced by your profiling analysis by mathematical comparison with an extensive index database.  Based upon his knowledge of the drugs and of your cancer type and clinical situation, along with your individual test results, Dr. Weisenthal determines which drug or combinations of drugs have the best chance of providing benefit to you.  For each test, Dr. Weisenthal devotes four to six hours of concentrated, individualized effort.  This is in addition to several hours spent by an experienced laboratory technologist to prepare the specimen for testing, which is done meticulously to produce the best possible testing environment and to perform the drug exposures, which Dr. Weisenthal also closely directs.

 

What will Functional Tumor Cell Profiling tell me?

The tests 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.

 

Will Functional Tumor Cell Profiling cure my cancer?

Functional Tumor Cell Profiling is a comprehensive laboratory analysis that can evaluate but cannot change the chemical make-up of your cancer cells.  If a drug or combination of drugs exists that is effective against your cancer cells, Functional Tumor Cell Profiling can pinpoint that drug or those drugs for you. However, if no drug exists that is able to control your cancer, Functional Tumor Cell Profiling cannot alter that fact.  Numerous studies have shown that Functional Tumor Cell Profiling can show us which drugs have a higher or much higher than average likelihood of success, which drugs have a lesser chance of success, and which drugs have virtually no chance of success.  This can be an invaluable aid in treatment selection.  But the tests by themselves cannot change the fundamental nature of your illness.  The goal of Functional Tumor Cell Profiling is to afford you the best possible chance for treatment success by pinpointing those specific drugs that are the most highly active in combating your own tumor cells.  At the same time, Functional Tumor Cell Profiling saves valuable time and spares needless exposure to toxic and costly drugs which might otherwise have been chosen for you but which cannot possibly help you.  

 

Are drugs tested as single agents or in combination?

We always test each drug individually but some of the drugs are also tested in combination with an additional, carefully selected drug if there is a rational basis to support possible drug synergy. 

 

Who can have the Functional Tumor Cell Profiling?

A patient must have living cancer cells in his or her body.  The cells must be accessible by means of surgery or other biopsy procedure.  The tests cannot be performed on dead cells or on tissues that were obtained in a past surgery or biopsy procedure.   

 

What are some likely sources of cancer cells in my body for profiling?

A solid tumor mass is the most commonly tested specimen type but malignant effusions often are usable when these are available.  For many leukemias and for some multiple myelomas and lymphomas, blood or bone marrow might contain cancer cells in numbers sufficient for testing.  For details about specimen requirements and special handling techniques please click here to jump directly to that section.

 

How many drugs can you test?

 

The number of drugs we can test is determined by the number of tumor cells we can isolate from the tissue we receive.  Sometimes a very large piece of tissue contains mostly normal cells and only a small nest of viable tumor cells.  On the other hand, a smaller specimen might yield an abundance of useable cells.  We don't grow cells or try to multiply them - we test the cells fresh, on the day we receive them and so the sample we receive is all that we will have to work with.  We request a gram or more of tissue.  For reference, that is a piece of tissue somewhere between the size of a lima bean and a radish.  Your physician can help by selecting one to two grams of firm, viable tumor tissue, by not damaging the cells with electrocautery knives, toxic inks, formalin or other harmful items, by placing the specimen quickly in fresh transport media, by keeping the specimen cold but not frozen, and by shipping your specimen on the same day that it is collected.  For more on specimen requirements, please click on the link.  To learn more about how your drugs are selected for you for testing, please click here.  

 

How do I know if I qualify?

Your doctor will know if you have accessible tumor cells.  However, you must also be well enough to receive chemotherapy.  Please feel free to phone us with your questions.  We  probably can tell from hearing about your specific illness and clinical situation if you are a good candidate for Functional Tumor Cell Profiling. 

 

How do I arrange for Functional Tumor Cell Profiling?

Phone us at (714) 596-2100 - or else ask your doctor to do so.  Government regulations require that a physician must order testing on your behalf but we certainly do invite you to phone or email us to help in making the arrangements if you would like to do so.  It should be noted that regulations also require that laboratory test results must be reported to the physician who ordered the testing and to other physicians who are designated on the assay order form. Your physician should be happy to furnish you with a copy of your test results but, legally, we cannot report test results directly to patients. 

 

The most important thing is for someone - whether it is you or your physician - to contact us in advance so that we can make sure that specimen transport materials reach your physician or the hospital  before your surgery or biopsy procedure.  Included in our transport package are specimen handling instructions, overnight shipping labels, specimen containers, and a special transport serum that will keep your cancer cells alive while enroute to our laboratory.  Please be sure to call us a minimum of two days prior to your scheduled surgery date to make sure that the critical specimen transport materials reach your physician on time. 

 

How much does profiling cost?

It depends upon the number of drugs tested for you.  Fees for Functional Tumor Cell Profiling analysis can range from $2000 to $6,000, depending upon the number or drugs and combinations tested.  The number of drugs to be tested is determined by what is appropriate for you in your specific clinical situation, by what additional drugs and combinations your doctor requests, and by the quantity and quality of the biopsy specimen that is furnished to our laboratory.

 

Will healthcare insurance cover the costs of my profiling tests?

Functional tumor cell profiling will not be covered under your Medicare policy.  If you are a Medicare patient and if you do not have supplemental insurance your testing service fees will not be reimbursed.  If you have private insurance, coverage for the tests depends upon the policies of your individual carrier and upon the provisions of your specific insurance plan.  It is very possible that your insurance will cover most or all of your testing costs, although normal co-payment and deductible amounts will apply.  However, many insurance carriers pay for only a portion of the costs and some carriers will deny your insurance claim entirely.  If this should occur, our reimbursement specialist will gladly assist you in appealing an unfavorable determination. In the past, many such appeals have been successful.  However, you will be responsible for balances not paid by your carrier.  As a courtesy, we are pleased to bill your insurance carrier directly on your behalf. 

 

Is Functional Tumor Cell Profiling available to persons living outside of the U.S.?

Yes.  We routinely perform testing for patients from all over the world.  Specimen requirements are the same as for patients living in the U.S..  Biopsy specimens should arrive at our laboratory no more than 48 hours after removal from the patient.  We work closely with FedEx to ensure that specimens from overseas arrive on time and we have had great success in making this happen.  It is extremely important that you contact us at least 48 hours before surgery so that we can make arrangements and provide shipping labels,  specimen transport medium, and other necessary materials.  Please phone us at 001-714-596-2100

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Return to top

 

 

 

 

.

Quick Facts

Customer Service

VERY IMPORTANT

Please phone us at least two days before your surgery or biopsy - sooner if possible.  Living cancer cells are required. Testing cannot be arranged after surgery is performed.  Click on this link for specimen handling instructions,  

·         It is important that you phone us prior to your surgery or biopsy procedure so that we can rush specimen transport medium and shipping materials to your doctor or hospital.  Without prior arrangement, it is extremely unlikely that biopsy materials suitable for Functional Tumor Cell Profiling will be available. 

·         Your biopsy specimen must NOT be placed in formalin or other fixative.  Living cancer cells are required for Functional Cell Profiling.  Formalin exposure kills cancer cells instantly, making testing impossible.

·                Click here for complete specimen information.

Blue pipettes in rack
Centriuge operator
Technologist working at laminar flow hood
Technologist pipetting at laminar low hood