Cancer is a complex disease, caused by a wide range of genetic mutations that can be present in many combinations. Each tumor has a unique genetic makeup, even amongst cancers of the same tissue type, such as breast cancer. Genomic testing can be used to analyze the DNA of your tumor and may identify the genetic mutations that are unique to your cancer.

Identifying the mutations in a patient’s cancer is the key to developing personalized treatments. Depending on the type of testing done, a comprehensive genomic analysis may provide information on potential therapeutics, development of resistance to treatments, prognosis, disease tracking, and may provide access to clinical trials and new treatments.

Clinical trials have shown that personalized/targeted therapies, developed from genetic testing of tumors, are the most effective way to improve treatment outcomes. Patients undertaking therapy as a result from genetic testing are shown to have longer progression-free, higher response rates to treatment and overall greater survival rates. Investing in genomic testing to obtain a complete and accurate diagnosis, is small compared to the time and money that may be wasted on generic or ill-chosen therapies. Genomic testing provides a powerful diagnostic tool, and every patient deserves an accurate diagnosis.

There are many advantages for genetic testing a patient’s tumor sample including but not limited to the following:

• Cancer gene profiling is a powerful diagnostic tool, which may provide complimentary drug target information to the standard therapies that may have been considered or completed to the patient to date.
• Our Genomic service comprehensively analyses the DNA and RNA of the tumor and may identify mutations that are unique and may provide prognostic and predictive information.
• The clinical interpretation, provided by Codex, takes into account both local and up-to-date international protocols for treatment options.
• Genomic testing provides a personalized approach to cancer treatment, which may improve patient outcome. Clinical trials of over 70,000 patients have shown that personalized therapy, based on genomic profiling of tumors, is the most effective way to improve outcome, with higher response rates, longer progression free and overall survival, and fewer deaths related to adverse events across cancers.^[1-3]
• Investing in Genomic testing may save time and money that may be spent on non-targeted/unproductive therapies.

There are also a few important things to consider before proceeding with testing:

• Our comprehensive reports will show potential treatment options, which may mean the patient may be out-of-pocket for treatment if they decide to proceed with these treatment options.
• In some cases, the results may have implications for other family members if a clinically significant germline variant is identified.
• Our center fulfils all the regulatory requirements to be able to offer these tests, and there is comprehensive & standardized support and interpretation of its results

Ready to take control of your treatment plan?

Codex aims to educate patients and their families on their cancer types and empower them with the knowledge to take control of their treatment plans. We offer a wide range of testing options. As each patient’s case is unique, there is no “one size fits all” when it comes to testing. We encourage you to contact codex call center, and we can work with you and your oncologist/specialist, to determine what tests would benefit you.

Commonly Asked Questions

I have just been diagnosed should I do genomic testing now?

Yes. Performing genomic testing at the start of your diagnosis enables the best treatment plan to be established from the beginning.

I have already had chemotherapy/other treatments, is genomics testing still useful?

Yes. Performing genomic testing after treatment is still useful as it can provide alternate treatment options and drug targets, discover resistance mutations that may be causing progression of the disease and enable you to track your response to treatment.

References

1. Jardim, D. L., et al. (2015). “Impact of a Biomarker-Based Strategy on Oncology Drug Development: A Meta-analysis of Clinical Trials Leading to FDA Approval.” J Natl Cancer Inst 107(11).
   2. Schwaederle, M., et al. (2015). “Impact of Precision Medicine in Diverse Cancers: A Meta-Analysis of Phase II Clinical Trials.” J Clin Oncol 33(32): 3817-3825
   3. Subbiah, V. and R. Kurzrock (2016). “Universal genomic testing needed to win the war against cancer: Genomics is the diagnosis.” JAMA Oncology 2(6): 719-720