Chemosensitivity testing.

Abstract

Determining which chemotherapy treatment to administer to a patient with cancer is challenging because each patient's cancer is unique. Hundreds of different forms of cancer exist, and tumors of the same type or classification can have very different responses to the same, often standard, treatment. A scientifically-based analysis of how the chemotherapy options for an individual patient may affect that patient's specific tumor could benefit both the clinician and the patient. Chemosensitivity testing can provide this information. A Chemosensitivity assay is a laboratory test that is performed by isolating the cancer cells from a tumor specimen, exposing the cells to the desired chemotherapy agents, and evaluating the effectiveness of those agents. The results provide patient-specific tumor information.