RandyW Posted June 2, 2009 Share Posted June 2, 2009 Newswise — For physicians, saying the words “you have cancer,” may be one of the toughest aspects of the job. For patients, it’s probably the most difficult phrase to ever hear. It’s important to remember that an informed patient is his or her own best champion, but navigating the sea of information can be daunting. At the American Society of Clinical Oncology’s 2009 Annual Meeting alone, over four thousand abstracts were reported. A new online resource, PersonalizedCancerTreatment.com, founded by some of the world’s most renowned specialists in the field of cancer diagnosis, treatment and research, can help physicians and patients sort through the latest scientific research in effort to customize the best treatment options, including Personalized Tumorgrafts™, Personalized Vaccines™, and Personalized Oncology Panels™. The website includes published data on many patients and features six example patient cases for healthcare professionals to review. For example, visitors can read the case of a 63 year-old male diagnosed with Stage IV pancreatic cancer who was given a poor prognosis. Through his oncologist, the patient was able to undergo a personalized service called Personalized Tumorgraft™ now available to physicians and their patients. A sample of the patient’s living tumor was grown and tested to evaluate the effectiveness of numerous anti-cancer drugs, sparing the patient from undergoing therapy that might not have been optimal for his specific cancer. The patient’s Personalized Tumorgraft testing predicted resistance to Gemcitabine and sensitivity to Mitomycin C (MMC). Based on these results, the patient was administered MMC and showed a complete response. There are five similar examples on the site, including patients with lung cancer, leiomyosarcoma, mesenchymal chondrosarcoma, gastroesophegeal cancer, and colorectal cancer whose conditions improved dramatically following Personalized Tumorgraft-directed drug therapy. The website also discusses the development of personalized therapeutic cancer vaccines that could follow Tumorgraft directed therapy. In this model, tumor cells from the Personalized Tumorgraft are genetically modified, then used as a Personalized Vaccine to stimulate a patient’s immune system to recognize and attack the patient’s cancer cells. “The launch of PersonalizedCancerTreatment.com empowers everyone affected by cancer to explore, learn, and expand their understanding of breakthrough personalized cancer treatments,” said Doug Burkett, PhD, President of Champions Biotechnology, Inc., the sponsor of the site. “It is imperative to understand that every patient’s cancer is unique. For optimal treatment success, there is no better way than a personalized approach.” When a patient is eager for an opinion from some of the world’s top cancer experts, a renowned oncologist and research scientist, named one of TIME magazine’s top physicians and scientists in America, chairs a Personalized Oncology Panel for the patient and his or her physician. The Personalized Oncology Panels provide the cancer patient and treating physician with access to an expert group of oncologists that convene based on a patient’s specific cancer type and condition. In a round table forum, the expert panel debates the broad array of options and provides a consensus treatment recommendation to the patient’s physician. Once selected, the panel meets in-person to review the patient’s case, including a review of the patient’s medical information and results of cutting edge genetic testing of the patient’s tumor tissue. The panel then evaluates conventional and novel treatment approaches, advanced chemotherapeutic drugs, biologics and available clinical trials. Implementation of the panel’s treatment proposals is the responsibility of the patient’s physician. The panel reconvenes at a later date, by teleconference, to review the cancer patient’s progress and other developments and, at that time, makes additional treatment recommendations that may be necessary. Says Dr. Burkett: “With the launch of PersonalizedCancerTreatment.com, patients and physicians now have access to a wide range of personalized treatment options.” For more information, visit www.PersonalizedCancerTreatment.com. © 2009 News Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellen in PA Posted June 2, 2009 Share Posted June 2, 2009 This may be a great site -- but people should make note of the fact that it is a .com = *commercial* (that is, profit-making) site. Caveat emptor. Ellen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RandyW Posted June 2, 2009 Author Share Posted June 2, 2009 was not even thinkin bout that thanks !! It is an interesting concept and thought process to think outside the box like this though. I kinda got it for the concept more so than the participation. They could be on to something here !! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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