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Doctor

3 Genetic Tests Can Increase Your Life Expectancy by 80%!

Published by on November 18, 2020 | Share your thoughts

You’ve probably already heard about genetic tests for cancer. But did you know that when just one special type of genetic test is used in your cancer diagnosis your life expectancy increases by 30%? And did you know that when you add all 3 types of genetic tests to your diagnosis and treatment plan, your life expectancy increases by 80+% over standard care? Comprehensive Genetic Tests Are Key to Treatment Success With this leading-edge medical science, you and your oncologist can be certain that your diagnosis is accurate and that you’re getting the absolute best treatment for your cancer. Waste no time, leave nothing to chance. You should not feel like you’re in the dark about your cancer care! Demand certainty and don’t settle for...
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A Second Chance

A Second Chance for John

Published by on November 11, 2020 | Share your thoughts

John’s wife Nan had been diagnosed with an advanced form of cervical cancer nearly a decade ago. They spent about 5 years trying to fight it through standard care. Nan got surgery, radiation, and many rounds of chemo. She grew worse. They eventually reached out to us when it looked like there was nothing more that could be done for Nan, except for palliative chemo, through standard care. We took a look at her case and immediately sent Nan for genetic testing. Our cancer expert Alex Rolland found several promising treatment options based on results, including immunotherapy. However, due to various factors at the time, John and Nan decided to stick with standard care and continue with the palliative chemo. Nan passed away several months...
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Good healthcare

Does Chemo Work?

Published by on November 4, 2020 | Share your thoughts

This is probably the question we get asked the most. Does chemo work?  It’s something you need to know… Whether you choose to go ahead with chemo or if you pursue other options. In this video, our cancer expert Alex Rolland shares what chemo is, how it works, and if there’s something better… Watch here ⬇️ How Does Chemo Work? In a nutshell, chemo works by stopping cancer cells from replicating. But there’s a catch! Chemo is NOT selective – it attacks all rapidly reproducing cells in your body…even the healthy ones. That’s why hair loss is common, among the many other devastating side effects. And, chemo doesn’t target the part of the cell that’s mutated and replicating. So once you stop treatment, the cells...
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Better cancer care

Better Cancer Care: How to Get What You Need

Published by on October 28, 2020 | Share your thoughts

“You get what you settle for.” You’ve probably heard that one before.  A good friend of mine told me this, many years ago, in relation to my dating life. I was seeing someone new and wasn’t sure if they were right for me…and my friend said, “well Michelle, you get what you settle for! So the question is: do you want to settle for him?”  I chewed on that for a while and eventually realized, yeah…I wasn’t going to settle for this particular man. And I’m so glad I didn’t!  Why am I telling you about my past dating woes?  Because “you get what you settle for” is true for many areas of life… Including cancer care.  Getting Better Cancer Care Requires Advocacy Standard cancer...
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How David Went From Stage IV to Full Remission in Less Than 1 Year

Published by on October 21, 2020 1 Comment

David was a pilot for Air Canada, with a loving wife and two young children. He had a good life. Young at heart and in his early 40s, he stayed fit by playing tennis and loved to relax spending time with his family and their giant fluffy black cat, Snickers, in their cozy Alberta home they’d newly renovated. The Dreaded News: Stage IV Cancer… Needless to say, getting cancer was not in David’s plans.But as we all know, cancer doesn’t play fair. And in his early 40s David got the dreaded news: he had a particularly complex case of stage IV neuroendocrine cancer. Pretty much the worst case scenario, especially for someone so young. His oncologist – one of the top neuroendocrine specialists in the country – told him chemo was...
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Doctor and patient

What Questions Should You Ask Your Oncologist?

Published by on October 14, 2020 1 Comment

15 to 20 mins. That’s the average length your oncologist has to talk with you at your appointment.  No wonder they’re not able to tell you about ALL your treatment options. Nor ALL the diagnostics available.  Your oncologist’s day is full to the brim: they see, on average, over 50 patients per week! Plus meetings, rounds, and learning new standard protocols. They are exhausted. Between 47% to 74% of oncologists report burnout. 67% report exhaustion. Those numbers don’t exactly inspire confidence… Oncologists do not have time – even if they wanted – for personalized cancer research. Nor learning about all the NEW protocols beyond standard care. Not their fault; it’s just how public healthcare works. This means, unfortunately, that it’s your job to find out...
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DNA

My Personal Story…Dealing with Cancer in the Family

Published by on October 8, 2020 2 Comments

Michelle Morand here. I co-founded CTOAM, alongside research scientist Alex Rolland, over a decade ago. Each day we hear stories from people around the world who are struggling with cancer. So I thought it was high-time that I shared a personal story with you…about my own experience with cancer in the family. Like a Punch in the Gut… I had a beloved uncle who was like a father to me. He was a pianist who inspired my love of music and his sweet little dog, Inch, cemented my own love of animals. He was the family member I related to the most. I loved him dearly.   When he was diagnosed with cancer I was devastated…as was my mother, his big sister. Determined to do everything we could...
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Immune System

Why Doesn’t the Immune System Kill Cancer?

Published by on September 2, 2020 | Share your thoughts

You might have wondered, why doesn’t your body’s immune system kill cancer? I mean, our bodies have found a way to fight off so many other illnesses – the flu, colds, and so on – so what makes cancer different? Think of it this way… Cancer cells are sort of like an army that goes into battle and then steals the other army’s weapons. In this case, the other army is the immune system! Our immune system has so many resources…and cancer cells are smart enough to hijack them for their own nefarious purposes. But there’s a silver lining. The immune system’s role in cancer is a huge part of cancer research right now…and it’s led to the development of immunotherapy!  Our cancer expert & research...
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Alex Trebek

How Immunotherapy Is Helping Alex Trebek

Published by on August 5, 2020 | Share your thoughts

We’re so happy to hear the good news that Mr. Trebek is improving after starting immunotherapy for pancreatic cancer. He was diagnosed in early 2019 with pancreatic cancer…and it has been a long, challenging road so far. But he’s now seeing excellent results thanks to this innovative treatment. CTOAM was the first in Canada to use immunotherapy! Did you know that we’ve been using immunotherapy for many years now? In fact, CTOAM was the first in Canada to use immunotherapy to treat stage 4 metastatic melanoma in this groundbreaking case. That was now over 5 years ago, and Joan is still in full remission! Joan was even able to get her treatments fully covered by her insurance because of the data we provided her and her oncologist with. You...
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Cancer Treatment

What is Targeted Therapy for Cancer?

Published by on July 8, 2020 1 Comment

Have you heard of targeted therapy for cancer? If not, get ready to discover this new & improved way of treating cancer! Targeted therapies are drugs designed to specifically target certain cancerous mutations in the body. That means you experience way fewer side effects than traditional chemo, plus way higher success rates. Win win. Our cancer expert, Alex Rolland, and co-founder Michelle Morand explain more in this video: Watch here ⬇️ Can targeted therapy work for your form of cancer? You’re probably wondering if targeted therapy can work for your type of cancer… I have good news for you – chances are, yes! Regardless of what stage your cancer has reached – and, even if you’ve been told you’re already getting the best, or perhaps...
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