Gene test that transforms your chances of beating cancer
Posted: June 21, 2014 at 11:43 pm
By Jerome Burne
Published: 18:34 EST, 16 June 2014 | Updated: 18:34 EST, 16 June 2014
Fred had rare and aggressive cancer in his adrenal glands (illustrated) and lived for nearly three years thanks to highly sophisticated gene test
Fred Barker was diagnosed with a rare but aggressive form of cancer in his adrenal glands just over three years ago. It came as a dreadful shock to the 44-year-old.
Most patients with this sort of tumour have less than six months left.
But Fred lived for nearly three years thanks to a highly sophisticated gene test that's set to revolutionise the way cancers are treated.
This looks for certain genes in tumours - if the cancer has these genes, the patient can then be given drugs that are known to target them specifically.
More than 80per cent of doctors change the treatment plan for those in their care following genetic tumour testing, according to research presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology earlier this month. In another study, patients with ovarian cancer who had the test had a 36per cent lower risk of death from their illness compared with those who didn't.
A similar test recently became available on the NHS, and nearly 1,000 patients with cancer that has spread have had it. But few UK oncologists are aware this testing is now available - and fewer patients know enough to be able to ask for it.
Fred was lucky - he was living in Perth, Australia, when he became ill. He had already undergone surgery and chemotherapy but scans had shown that his cancer was still growing and had spread to his spine, ribs and a shoulder blade.
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Gene test that transforms your chances of beating cancer