Tissue of Origin Test Leads to Changes in Treatment

TON - March/April 2011, VOL 4, NO 2 — April 11, 2011

In a study funded by Pathwork Diagnostics, Inc., researchers found that using the company’s tissue of origin test for patients with hard-toidentify primary cancers enabled accurate diagnosis of the tumor in several cases and led to changes in treatment. Patients whose diagnosis was confirmed appeared less anxious.

Data were collected for 59 patients whose physician used the test to identify their primary cancers. The physicians (n = 48) completed an online survey about the patient’s diagnosis, diagnostic procedures used, and recommended treatments before and after tissue of origin testing. Responses were confirmed by telephone.

The physicians indicated that prior to performing the test, patients underwent a median of 6 imaging tests and 10 immunohistochemistry tests. In 54% of patients, the tissue of origin test results led to changes in diagnosis. Treatment changed for 68% of patients. Nearly two-thirds of physicians said the test was “clinically useful” in informing disease management. In addition, 62% patients were ob served to have less anxiety after receiving results.

The authors wrote, “In patients with difficult-to-diagnose primary cancers, extensive baseline diagnostics is not uncommon and less than half of the patients have an established working diagnosis.” The test, which compares >2000 genes in the patient’s tumor against a control set of gene expression patterns from 15 tumor types, received clearance in 2010 from the US Food and Drug Administration

Related Items


Subscribe Today!

To sign up for our newsletter or print publications, please enter your contact information below.

I'd like to receive: