The wheels turn slow

   Two weeks ago I saw my Oncologist. At the appointment we discussed genetic testing and a referral was made to the Genetisist at Providence Cancer Center. I am still waiting to be contacted. Sometimes "the waiting is the hardest part" You gotta love Tom Petty! He is the coolest man in Rock and Roll.

   You may ask why Genetic testing? What does it matter? 

  Genetic testing is the future of cancer care. Testing the DNA of tumor cells can determine which therapies are likely to work for a given patient and will ultimately lead to targeted therapies tailored to the individual mechanism of cellular proliferation of cancer cells.

   The idea of being genetically tested came from a visit with Dr. Vogelzang late last year. During the visit he stated that I should be tested for the BRCA mutation. He is of the opinion that the aggressive nature of the cancer and the widespread lymph metastasis could stem from being BRCA positive.

   The idea of genetic testing has really taken off in recent years. The Genome project in breast cancer has yielded many advances in how breast cancer is treated. There is currently a Genome project underway for prostate cancer. I can only speculate that the same thing is happening throughout the broader cancer spectrum. 

  

As research continues to advance, I look forward to the day when patients will no longer be forced to endure side effects of treatments that will not work. Standard diagnosis will include gene mapping as well as imaging. Each patient will receive a detailed treatment plan tailored to the specific genetic make up of the cancer. Spock said it best.... "Facinating" 

   Once I see the geneticist, I will post more information. Right now I have nothing but speculation to share. 

    Thank You for reading

              Todd

P.S. For more information regarding the prostate cancer research (Genome) project, here is their Facebook page