ChemoFit™ is a new laboratory test (the first of its kind in Canada)
which helps identify the best chemotherapy for a patient’s unique tumour.
We are very pleased to offer this test to eligible cancer patients to customize
their treatment. You do not have to be a Medicor patient to request this test.

ChemoFit – What is it?

ChemoFit is a specialized chemosensitivity/chemoresistance assay
(CS/CR Assay). CS/CR assays use a patient’s own tumour cells in the
laboratory to identify which drugs have the most as well as the least potential
for treating the patient’s unique cancer. This information can increase the
success of chemotherapy and reduce unnecessary toxicity.

CS/CR assays are being used by many cancer centres in the United States
to guide treatment. CS/CR assays are used routinely in selecting chemotherapy
for ovarian, lung, breast, colon, prostate, cervical cancers as well as sarcomas.

Different assays use different methods to get results. ChemoFit uses one
of the most advanced technology which is over 99% accurate for identifying
resistant drugs and 87% accurate for identifying effective drugs.

What are the benefits of using ChemoFit™ to guide chemotherapy?

Oncologists presently choose chemo regimens based on clinical experience
and general research data, combined with the patient’s medical condition.
This approach does not take into account that every patient’s tumour is unique
in the way it grows, and responds to treatment. ChemoFit will allow your oncologist
to eliminate the regimens that are least likely to work and concentrate on the ones
that have the most potential for killing your unique tumour.

Current studies show that cancer patients administered chemotherapy after
laboratory tests like ChemoFit respond more favorably to the treatment.
Studies are also showing a better survival for patients treated with drugs identified
as the most effective by the tests.

ChemoFit spares patients unnecessary toxicity by eliminating drugs that are
not likely to be effective. It also helps avoid inducing the potential of chemo
drug resistance. 

Who should consider ChemoFit?

ChemoFit is recommended to guide chemotherapy for solid tumors like ovarian,
lung, breast, colon, prostate, cervical, endometrial, pancreatic cancers and sarcomas.
ChemoFit can be used for selecting both first line and second line chemotherapy,
whether the aim of chemotherapy is cure, or palliation. 

What if my oncologist says ChemoFit is not necessary?

ChemoFit is the latest in a new generation of tumour assays. Since it is being
offered for the first time in Canada, your oncologist may not yet be familiar with
the advantages of using this test.

Tumour assays have been around for more than two decades. However, until
recently, their accuracy has been less that ideal. You oncologist may be basing
their opinion on the older generation of tests.

Rapid advances in technology now allow tumour behaviour in the lab to accurately
predict tumour behaviour in your body. Newer tests are measuring true indicators
of tumour response to chemo like cancer cell death (while older tests measured
reduction in tumour growth). More and more studies are emerging where test-guided
chemotherapy is shown to improve treatment outcomes including survival.

With most cancers, there are many choices of chemo regimens. The oncologist
typically chooses regimen based on an educated guess (called “empiric therapy”).
The treatment of cancer is now moving away from empiric therapy to individualized
treatment. A new generation of tests (like ChemoFit) is starting to change the way
chemotherapy is chosen. As with all innovations, it will take time for ChemoFit
to gain widespead acceptance among Canadian oncologists.

We would be pleased to discuss your individual case with your oncologist. If you
would like to provide your oncologist with more detailed information, please click here.  

How can I get ChemoFit?

Cancer patients should contact Medicor Cancer Centres to discuss their individual
medical history, and suitability for the test. Medicor and CareImaging LP will organize
all elments of the test for eligible patients.

ChemoFit requires a fresh tumour sample. Ideally, patients booked for surgery
can contact Medicor Cancer Centres to organize the test so that the sample can be
taken at the time of surgery. Patients who are not candidates for surgery or who
have already had surgery often can have a small office-based procedure performed
to obtain a tumour sample for the ChemoFit test.

Contact Medicor Cancer, today about ChemoFit.

Media Coverage

View media coverage about ChemoFit, from an October 20th,
Citytv news video clip or read the news article: "Promising Test for
Cancer Patients...", from CityNews online.

 

 

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