A few hospitals are pre-testing chemotherapies to determine which drugs are most effective against your cancer before undergoing a complete course of therapy.

At one time, chemosensitivity testing was considered unreliable because it was only fifty percent accurate and it took too long to get the results. Today, preliminary results are complete in about nine days, and testing has progressed to the point where it is eighty-five to ninety percent effective.

Since cancers often develop resistance to the first round of chemotherapy's, this is especially valuable in picking a chemotherapy that will work for a second course of treatment. This testing is not performed at all institutions, but it is available through a few specialized laboratories if you have your doctor request it.

In order to do this testing, a sample or biopsy (200mg in size) of your tumor is necessary. If you are going to have a biopsy, request that enough tissue be gathered for this as well as for the other tests intended for the sample. If you wish to have this testing you may have to overcome some resistance from doctors who are not aware of the current effectiveness of the testing and who may be reluctant to acquire a sample for this purpose alone. These labs will provide you and your physician with in depth information and research on the testing they provide.

Weisenthal Cancer Group
15140 Transistor Lane
Huntington Beach, CA 92649
714-894-0011