Ascites and testing

[harley]

Last week at the Target OC open day in Perth, I had the opportunity to be sitting at lunch next to a wonderful lady, a Senior Lecturer, Medical Research Institute, University of Dundee who was horrrified to learn, especially in her area that ascites after removal gets "poured down the drain" they can analyse with it to come up with the optimum treatment for that particular patient - Has anyone else heard of this being done?

It wouldnt do me any good as I have never - touch wood, had this problem but if I ever do I will be asking for it to be sent to Dundee for analysis. Analysis can also be carried out on tissue removed during surgery, the more they get the better their understanding will be. Does everything get incinerated? What happens in your areas?

Looking forward to comments

Joanna

xxx

[Hidden]

Hi Joanna,

I think (but I am not sure) that in order to analyse anything that they have to ask your permission first, I know I was approached by an oncologist for my permission to test a sample of my blood, as she was doing research on side affects of taxol, and I signed away my rights to the sample of blood (I could be wrong though, but this is my view on this) even

when they take samples of tissue etc after an operation they ask you to sign a form giving permission, so my guess is that they test some but not others.

Best wishes love x G x

[harley in reply to Hidden]

Thanks Gwyn,

Perhaps this is another post code lottery of how things are dealt with in different locations, but if we were asked for permission, I am sure everyone would say yes, at the end of the day this piecemeal research only leads to small trials with not enough results to make any difference.

Hey Ho.

Joanna

xx

[Hidden]

I know this is done at the Clearity Foundation in the US. I've heard that some forward thinking oncs in London are now sending tumour samples over there to be analysed. If it can be done in Dundee that is terrific news. Here's two links to info on the Clearity database: clearityfoundation.org/drug...

clearityfoundation.org/dian...

The latter explains why some chemos work so much better on others on the same type of epithelial serous OC. Cx

[Hidden]

My understanding was that they tested it, I would certainly hope so. whats floating around would be a huge indicator, I would have thought, so it sounds crazy. And yuk, what a thought, that cannot be a good idea anyway...

[Whippit]

Dear Joanna

I get the feeling what is removed from a patient under surgery is routinely analysed to grade and stage the tumours but unless there's a research function going on it isn't used for anything more than that.

I had a tour of the laboratories at Imperial where there is research going on and the researcher who showed us round said that all the tissue had been donated by women for research. We don't have anything like that going on here in Cardiff. Sadly not even part of that UK-wide (except Wales) research project though I do recall them saying there were 2 research centres in Scotland.

Love Annie xxx

[harley]

Hi Annie,

I know that when they carry out biopsies, they obviously carry out tests to see what kind of cancer it is - but these would be a fairly standard type of test, I got the impression that in Dundee, because they are a Medical Research Institute, they can do a lot more - good luck with the campaigning in your area Annie, it takes time and is frustrating but you have done so much.

Joanna

xx

[HerThing]

Hi Joanna

My wife, Angie, is being treated at Weston Park in Sheffield. While she has never had any ascites drained, she signed a consent form prior to her surgery relating to the tissue to be removed. The consent meant the tissue could be retained for research etc. Whether that means it would in fact be retained I don't know, but it seems logical to do so.

Regards

Andy x

[harley]

Thanks Andy, I too would say its logical, maybe depends on how far it has to be transported for an in depth analysis at a research facility.

Joanna

xx

[Aemi]

I had op last year and tests were done during the op and also sent for analysis which took a bit longer and I was told results of the during op tests immediately and had to wait for the rest.