Each cancer tumor has its own unique biology. Thanks to advances in medicine, we now treat cancers not with one universal therapy but rather with treatments that specifically target these biologic differences. These differences are often called genetic mutations, biomarkers or unique tumor markers (UTMs). OncoTracking™ can determine what makes your cancer unique by analyzing your tumor for UTMs through a highly-sensitive molecular testing process called next-generation sequencing. This is the important first step in the OncoTracking™: analyzing your tumor to discover your cancer's unique fingerprint.

Once a custom assay has been created, we will take a sample of your blood on a quarterly basis for one year. We will then run a test of this sample through the custom assay, a process often referred to as 'Liquid Biopsy.' Finding tumor mutations in your blood can signal that your cancer has returned or spread.

Not only can OncoTracking™ tell you whether or not your cancer has returned, it can also recommend treatment options. By targeting specific genetic mutations associated with your cancer, we can compile a list of therapies and clinical trials currently available that were created specifically to treat those mutations.

Once we have analyzed your tumor tissue and have singled out all relevant UTMs, we can create customized OncoTracking™ ​assays that will be applied to subsequent blood samples. These assays use a highly sensitive process called liquid biopsy to examine your blood for UTMs. Liquid biopsy can detect UTMs in your bloodstream, which may show signs of recurrence earlier than traditional, visual methods of cancer detection such as MRI or CT scans.

All cells naturally die off and shed their DNA into the bloodstream. This includes cancer cells. Cancer cells often have specific genetic mutations that fuel their growth. When we analyze your tumor, we determine what genetic mutations are present. We are then able to test your blood on a regular basis to see if these mutations are present. If they are, that means your cancer may once again be present in your body. Each blood test takes approximately 3 days to analyze and issue results.

OncoTracking™ monitors your blood for one year for cancer recurrence. The first year after successful treatment completion is a critical stage for patients in remission since cancer is most likely to return during this time frame. Depending on your circumstances, we may continue to test your blood beyond the first year.