Can My Oncologist Analyze My Genetic Test?

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If your oncologist is familiar with precision oncology, it’s possible they may offer to do the analysis of the genetic panel themselves. As more oncologists become aware of the value of oncogenomics, more will naturally be jumping on the bandwagon to offer these services to their patients.

However, this is not as simple as it might appear. Most, if not all, oncologists working in the standard health care system do not have enough expertise in genomic sequencing to provide an accurate analysis of a comprehensive genetic panel.

• Expert Analysis is Required
  Precision oncology is based on a marriage between scientific data and expertise: the genetic data itself is only one half of the whole equation. The other half is provided by the quality of the analysis, which is based on the expertise of the research scientist.
  • Data obtained from a comprehensive genetic panel is only as valuable as the analysis of it.
  • It’s the quality of analysis that will determine whether your treatment plan is effective for you.

• You Need an Expert in Oncogenomics
  Standard care oncologists generally do not have the background or expertise to provide a thorough analysis that considers the latest cancer research, variants of unknown significance, and the subtle interplay between different mutations.
  • At CTOAM, we often see other oncologists incorrectly using genetic DNA information for treatment purposes.
  • Most oncologists, if not all, fail to take variants of unknown significance (VUS) into consideration.

It all depends on how much value you place on your time and well-being. Would you rather have your treatment plan be based on older technologies or newer, more accurate advancements?

Cancer Breakthroughs in Gene Therapy

Cancer research is advancing extremely quickly – and this is wonderful for breakthroughs in cancer treatment. However, it also means that in order to benefit from these rapid advancements, you must work with an expert analyzer. It takes a painstaking amount of time for these developments to be integrated into standard cancer care and reach oncologists working there:

• The data on known mutations is often well out of date by the time it is accepted.
• New studies and information about VUS occurs on a regular basis.
• Only an expert will be able to interpret the scientific advancements and translate how they might be of benefit to your specific form of cancer.

To ensure that you are getting the best treatments, you must go to an expert analyzer.

As soon as medical advancements generate information on the VUS that are specific to your case, CTOAM’s Cancer Care Research and Advocacy Specialists can go back and revisit them on a regular basis. This way, we can ensure that you are getting the most effective, up-to-date treatments for your unique genetic make-up.

In order to get a proper analysis, you must go to an expert in oncogenomics like CTOAM’s Director of Scientific Research, with member of our Medical Services Team. Having your genetic panel facilitated and analyzed by CTOAM means you are guaranteed to get the correct treatment plan for your form of cancer.

If you or a loved one have received a cancer diagnosis and want to ensure you have access to the best tests and treatments available, please reach out today. Register for a Precision Second Opinion to discover how we can help you to reduce stress and dramatically increase treatment success.