PERSONALISED TUMOUR GRAFT ? WHAT DO YOU THINK - Has anyone done this?

[BuntyB]

A well meaning GP friend has passed me the contact details of someone she knows at a company called Champions Oncology (based in the USA) who have developed this as a way of trying to shrink tumours by personalising the drugs to YOUR tumour, thereby extending survival. Sounds good BUT I can't find any details of successful treatment of ovarian tumours though they mention that they do treat this type of cancer. I have read successful reviews for other types of cancer. I expect the cost will be astronomical and the time needed to grow your tumour in mice and then test different drug combos is likely to take about 4/6months which is a long time to wait.

I would love to hear what you all think - has anyone got first hand experience of it - it sounds a lifeline BUT IS IT??

Here is a link so you can read about them :- championsoncology.com/ . Thanks for looking .

Barbara

[Hidden]

I think this is a development of tumour assay testing, a controversial US technique that tests various chemo drugs against a sample of your tumour. It is not 100% accurate and the fact that it hasn't become standard practise in the US despite being around for years implies that it's not helpful. The Clearity Foundation conducts tumour analysis and keeps a database that shows how variable ovarian cancer is.

I think the only way you might find anything is by joining Inspire.com, the Ovarian Cancer National Alliance, and asking members if they know of anything.

Tmour assay testing costs around $5-6,000, I've heard of £5,000 being charged here, and that was for a result that did not work.

I think that the Champions method, because it involves a culture using mice, would cost more. No answers, but I hope this helps.

Cx

[Heffmeister]

I've heard abou this too but you would have to factor getting the tissue sample over to them safely and still in an acceptable condition to work with. Unless you could have the surgery done over there I suppose.