Discover how RNA expression testing and ADCs can help cancer patients avoid chemotherapy – and how you can access this test without needing to travel!
RNA Expression Testing for Cancer
Cancer is very complex and we are just still creating the tests that tell us what treatment will be effective for a person’s unique case. However, we do have many great new tools to help turn cancer into a manageable disease rather than the deadly disease it has been for so long. Two recent advancements have rocked the world of cancer treatment – even in both rare and late stage cancers.
What are Antibody-Drug Conjugates (ADCs)?
Take a look at our new video below to hear globally renowned cancer expert, Alex Rolland, explain what antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) are, and how they can help patients to avoid chemotherapy, survive cancer for the long-term, and experience a much higher quality life.
How These New Treatments Can Help You
First, let’s go over the development of Antibody-Drug Conjugates (ADCs):
This amazing new technology uses an antibody that attaches to a unique, over-expressed cell surface protein, conjugated to a toxic anti-cancer drug (or radioactive molecule). In other words, this is a drug that acts like a dating service for the cancer cell and the drug. The antibody attaches the drug to any cancer cell in the body and releases the toxic drug directly into the cancer cell, sparing the normal healthy cells.
In fact, these drugs are so targeted, they can be used in any type of cancer…and at any stage! This ability to work in many cancer types has resulted in a recent agnostic FDA approval for the drug T-Dxd, which targets the HER2 on the outside of any cancer expressing HER2.
In simpler terms:
What this ultimately means is that many cancer patients will now be able to avoid chemotherapy by using these new targeted treatments instead.
Currently, there are 362 clinical trials listed using ADCs. And there are 16 ADCs that are already FDA-approved. We see a new ADC targeting a new cell surface protein every few weeks!
So, with a new arsenal of potential drugs available, the next question is…
“How do I know which of these new treatment(s) will work for me?”
The answer is: by using Tumour RNA Expression Testing.
Tumour RNA Expression Testing
Typically when a patient is tested for a new ADC, the pathologist will take a part of the tumour and see if it has a high level of the target cell surface protein. This may work for a single drug, but what if you want to test for all of the 16 FDA-approved drugs? This approach would require a lot of testing and the tumour sample would probably be used up after just the first or second test! So obviously that is not a sustainable solution.
Instead, the real solution comes from strategically combining several new technologies:
1. Laser Dissection
The first technology is called laser dissection. This is a brand-new, game-changing technique that allows the pathologist to obtain a purified vial of tumour cells out of a tumour sample, which is usually only 20-30% tumour cells.
2. RNA Expression Testing
The second technology is RNA expression testing. This is when the RNA, which is the intermediate molecule between the coding DNA and final cell surface protein, can now be removed from the tumour cells – measured and counted for every gene – and levels can be compared to normal gene levels from a healthy cell of the same type.
Incredibly, it is now possible to test your tumour for over 21,000 genes (!) and determine which exact genes are over-expressed compared to what they are supposed to be.
What Does This All Mean for You?
Remember that each of the ADCs targets a unique over-expressed cell protein, and this test looks at over 21,000 over-expressed proteins…meaning that this test allows you to determine which ADCs, targeted chemo drugs, and targeted therapies will be most effective for you and – just as significantly – which drugs will not be effective for you…and not only now but for many years down the road! You can get extremely targeted treatments for your treatment now and well into the future from just a small tumor biopsy sample.
This is allowing for more accurate treatment recommendations than has ever been possible before. And in a way that remains achievable without having to travel and far more affordable than going to some place like the Mayo Clinic or MD Anderson.
Can you start to see why we are so excited about this RNA expression testing revolution?
How You Can Access These New Cancer Treatments
Would you like to…
- Find out which of these new targeted cancer treatments will work for you
- Get access to them as soon as possible
- Have an excellent chance of getting those new treatments fully covered?
Then your first step is to get RNA expression testing in order to find out the key details of your cancer’s molecular features.
If you want to learn more about accessing the leading-edge test, then your next step is simple:
Book a Free Cancer Care Consultation Today!
Book your FREE Cancer Care Consultation (30-mins) to learn if this test is right for you, how to access it, and next steps.
Get started today with your free consult
This free consult will ensure you get all your questions answered and that you feel confident and clear about your cancer care choices moving forward.
Any questions? Email or call us anytime. We’ll be happy to help you any way we can.
