Caris

[CatLady2022]

I just read this in the visit summary from my oncologist appt today. Any idea what this is used for? I looked it up and my understanding is it’s a test done on the tumor from biopsy but not sure what it will tell my oncologist that she doesn’t already know. Any idea?

[Tmbj]

Hi Caris you need post what it was you read at your Oncs office so we can see if we can help. You can select edit post to add futher text.

[CatLady2022 in reply to Tmbj]

In clinic notes

Will attempt to send Caris on previous biopsy. If not enough tissue, will need liquid biopsy.

[Trissh]

Caris does a very detailed genetic analysis of the tumor and makes suggests which current treatments will be of benefit. --Trish

[CatLady2022 in reply to Trissh]

That is what I assumed it was but I’m confused because my current line of treatment is working as far as I know. My tumor marker numbers are still decreasing and I am tolerating my current treatment as best as I can with the only downside being stomach issues. I was only diagnosed stage IV six months ago so I find it odd that she wants to do further investigating about the tumor that was biopsied.

[Trissh in reply to CatLady2022]

she is being proactive... That's a good thing. My Onc did the same to prepare for the future when tumors become resistantto current meds. -- Trish

[love2golfwell]

I had not heard the term Caris before, but when I was diagnosed Stage IV my oncologist had genetic testing done on tumor tissue taken from a bone biopsy I had done. They tested for multiple things and found I had a gene variant called Chek2 that carries a high risk of breast cancer. The report also listed other variants they tested for. In addition, at the bottom of the report it indicated which treatments might work later on and which ones would not work. It was a fairly detailed report.

[Bettybuckets]

hi cat lady, I used to rep for caris life science. At the time they had a very advanced next gen sequencing test called Target Now. This test would look at your biopsy from your tumor and match to a drug gable target if possible. They helpfully also excluded therapies that would not work. For instance for Her 2 timorsss that also had a PTEN mutation. I do remember that some oncologist didn’t like the 20 page report as being too complex but I am sure that may have been improved in the years since. Hope that you will find timely answers. These tests are helpful for us not wasting time in therapies that might never work snd steering us toward more likely therapies. Hope this was helpful,

Beth( Bettybuckets)

Toby and me

[mariootsi in reply to Bettybuckets]

Beautiful picture!

[Bettybuckets in reply to mariootsi]

sweet of you… that is my dog Toby

[viennagirl in reply to Bettybuckets]

Yes, what a beautiful photo and what a lovely dog. Hugs M.

[CatLady2022]

thanks for the replies! I’m also just reading my clinic notes and what I find strange is the wording . At one point on multiple appointment clinic notes she says likely stage iv. Ummm what the heck else can it be? Or they just using wording that would cover all bases in the event it’s NOT stage IV. Am I just overreacting or do any of you find it strange that she worded it likely stage iv?

[CatLady2022 in reply to CatLady2022]

Previously discussed *likely* stage IV and incurable but treatable nature of disease.

The word likely confuses me…