BC Cancer Foundation - Fall 2016 - (Page 12)

A Better Biopsy Doctors detect treatment resistance through a simple blood test F or men dealing with into precision medicine of collecting and metastatic prostate research programs for our profiling the genomic cancer, there's patients," Dr. Chi says. attributes of a patient's only so much time Profiling the cfDNA of cancer to help guide treatment treatment can buy. And their patients provided Dr. Chi selection. doctors need accessible and his colleagues with Dr. Chi is confident that cfDNA genomic information on concrete indicators of an liquid biopsies will provide a simple each patient's disease in individual's resistance to method of predetermining the order to make effective treatment and revealed appropriate treatment selection for Dr. Kim Chi treatment decisions. potential targets for his patients to increase success rates Collecting this information treatment. and decrease the chance of resistance has proven challenging, until now. These findings are critical for or treatment failure. That will require Dr. Kim Chi is a medical oncologist men with this advanced disease, as clinical trials with larger numbers of and senior scientist at the BC Cancer resistance to treatment is inevitable. patient participants to validate cfDNA Agency and has worked closely with For this reason, there is an urgent as a predictor of treatment resistance colleagues at the Vancouver Prostate need to establish a practical method and sensitivity. Centre to demonstrate the clinical value of performing genomic profiling through non-invasive blood tests, rather than a biopsy. * Liquid biopsy: A blood test performed to reveal robust molecular They've proven that a blood test information about a tumour. can provide critical genomic detail * cfDNA: Cell-free DNA is found in blood samples of cancer to help inform treatment decisions through profiling of the cell-free patients; it exhibits the genetic and epigenetic changes found in DNA (cfDNA) found within the blood the patient's tumour, offering valuable information about which sample. This non-invasive method will treatments will be effective. help to overcome significant clinical challenges and patient discomfort with current biopsy procedures. "We believe that a blood test holds the critical cfDNA detail required to inform highly targeted clinical Your gift today can advance Dr. Kim Chi's grounddecisions for our patients. Our studies breaking research and improve care for men facing are now building on these findings metastatic prostate cancer. Contact Alyson Meehan to advance the remarkable promise at 604-877-6160 to learn more. of cfDNA as we implement a blood biopsy and genomic profiling approach DEFINITIONS TO KNOW 12 PARTNERS IN DISCOVERY TOP CENTER IMAGE BY THINKSTOCK MAKE LIQUID BIOPSIES THE STANDARD

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of BC Cancer Foundation - Fall 2016

BC Cancer Foundation - Fall 2016
Opening Thoughts
Healthy Insights
Why I Give
Researcher Profi le
Bringing Cancer Care Closer to Home
Mapping the Spread of the Deadliest
A Better Biopsy
The Cancer’s DNA Matters
Legacy Giving
Regional Roundup

BC Cancer Foundation - Fall 2016