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The Oncotrace test records a baseline of your cancer status as you start your cancer treatment. This will include baseline values for circulating tumor cell (CTC) count, phenotype markers, and stemness markers in your bloodstream.
The Oncotrace test is designed to provide comprehensive information about cancer progression and its future prognosis.
Let’s look at the three types of information returned by the Oncotrace test and their purpose in developing an individualized treatment plan for you.
The CTC count gives a reading of the presence of cancer cells in your bloodstream. If the number has gone up from its baseline after treatment, it means your treatment is not effective, and we recommend changing the treatment course.
On the other hand, if the CTC count shows a decline, it can be inferred that the treatment is effective, and you will want to continue with your current treatment.
In some cases, though, the CTC count may show plateauing, which means that the treatment may be working to some extent. This may indicate that you may need to add another treatment method to your plan for better results.
The CTC count helps your care practitioners assess the efficacy of the established treatment protocols. And you can see a direct correlation between the CTC count and the growth or decline in cancer cells in your body.
The Oncotrace test also provides information about phenotype markers for your cancer cells. These are tissue markers that identify the tissue where the tumor cells originate.
As the cancer cells leave the primary tumor, they move through the body in different stages of development. The general population of cancer cells is accompanied by other unique sub-populations of those cells, which may have slightly different characteristics.
The uniqueness of the information provided by phenotype markers gives information about the cells’ tissue of origin. This means that if you have multiple primary cancer tumors in the body, this marker can throw light on that fact.
Phenotypic biomarkers are useful for:
The third type of information recorded by the Oncotrace test is data on the stem cell markers for your cancer, called the stemness markers. The stemness markers provide information on the behavior and activity level of cancer cells in the bloodstream.
It is ideal to have these markers show up as inactive or turned “Off.” And when treatment is effective, you will see these markers change from positive to negative over time. Even when the CTC count is low, if these markers are positive, it means the cancer is still present in the body. In true remission, these markers are negative.
Oncotrace results are a game-changer for cancer treatment and monitoring progress.
As you progress with your treatment, the package of information provided by the Oncotrace test can be a powerful tool to assess how well things are going with your cancer treatment.
As a rule, you want to see a decline in your CTC count, showing that the treatment is effective. Once this is achieved, you may think that cancer has been eliminated. But this is only half the picture.
The additional information about the activity of the stemness markers recorded in the Oncotrace results adds crucial information about your cancer prognosis. If the stemness markers are in an active state (or “On” position), it shows high levels of activity of cancer cells.
Therefore, the activity levels of the stemness markers give you a true indication of whether treatment needs to continue - even when the CTC count has reached a desired low number.
Therefore, regularly monitoring the status of your stemness markers is vital to continued cancer-free survival. Depending solely on the CTC count misses out on this crucial piece of information about your cancer status.
Once the CTC count has reached a low number, conventional approaches to treatment can no longer trace cancer. However, our Oncotrace test records the activity of cancer cells at microscopic levels.
We use the status of the stemness markers to empower you and your care team with information that tells you about what is happening with your cancer at all times.
During the test, a liquid biopsy is performed with a sample of blood drawn from your body. The blood is analyzed to provide information about the presence of CTCs, their concentration, their specific type or immuno-phenotype, and the activity status of cancer cells in your body.
The Oncotrace test is designed as a means to establish a baseline for patients who are undergoing cancer treatment. It can also be used to monitor the status of patients who are in remission and may be worried about the disease returning. Your practitioner can use Oncotrace results to assess the effectiveness of cancer treatment and the likelihood of cancer returning.
The Oncotrace test is performed using a liquid biopsy. Patients provide us with their blood samples, and no surgery or tissue biopsy is needed. Brain and CNS cancers require a tissue or CSF sample instead of blood sample. The sample is then shipped to our laboratory in Greece for analysis.
Please note that if a patient is undergoing cancer treatment, we recommend waiting 7 to 21 days or more after chemotherapy to take the test.
All our accredited practitioners understand our shipping instructions and ensure the sample arrives in perfect condition.
Price in Euros: € 800
Disclaimer:
* Prices in $USD vary slightly based on the exchange rate on the day the test is ordered.
** These prices do not include in-office fees such as consultation, blood draws, IV administration, etc.
To know what to expect from the test results, view a sample Oncotrace test result here.
Your sample will be processed at our state-of-the-art laboratory in Greece. Once the test is completed, we will provide a detailed breakdown of our findings. The results are sent to your accredited practitioner who downloads the results and sets up an appointment with you to go over the results.
We recommend that you also discuss the results with your cancer care team and work together to develop a personalized treatment plan based on our findings.
Components of your blood sample are stored for up to six months and can be used to create Q-REstrains specific to your body. However, all other types of testing will require new blood samples.
Our scientists use world-leading technology, equipment, and innovative techniques to develop a range of cancer screening and monitoring tests. Our tests help cancer patients and their healthcare professionals get a comprehensive but personalized view of each patient’s genetics, physiology, and immune profiles.
We believe this level of detail is crucial in developing an individualized care plan for every patient struggling with cancer. We aim to provide a unique insight into every patient’s cancer biology to empower them about what treatment options are ideal for bringing them success in their cancer journey!
Reach out to us to start your journey to empowering information for your cancer treatment today by contacting us online.
