Barb73 Posted May 10, 2009 Share Posted May 10, 2009 http://www.bcbr.com/article.asp?id=100019 ARTICLE: . . . . . . . . . BROOMFIELD - Biodesix Inc. in Broomfield has launched a test to help oncologists guide treatment of patients with lung cancer. Biodesix's VeriStrat is a blood-based test for patients with advanced stage nonsmall cell lung cancer. The test can identify how a patient will react, good or bad, to certain cancer treatments. "Clinically, there are two key advantages of using the VeriStrat test," said Paul Bunn, professor of medical oncology at the University of Colorado Denver and executive director of the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer. "First, this test can help to identify patients who are unlikely to benefit from therapy ... . Oncologists currently rely on patient characteristics, such as smoking history or tissue histology, which offer limited value in determining whether or not a patient will benefit from a specific therapy. "Second, this test offers us a noninvasive means to help guide treatment decisions. Most diagnostic tests currently available require tumor tissue, which is often not available in lung cancer patients. Having a diagnostic test that is specific to a therapy and can be accomplished through a simple blood test provides an important advance in the management of patients with advanced nonsmall cell lung cancer." . . . . . . . . . (Boulder County Busness Report, "Biodesix Launches Cancer Test" By Business Report Staff, May 8, 2009) Disclaimer: The information contained in these articles may or may not be in agreement with my own opinions. They are not being posted with the intention of being medical advice of any kind. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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