Elephants and Tea - Precision Medicine - 20

Functional Tumor Testing
PERSONALIZED TREATMENT
Navigating the Uncharted
Waters of Low-Grade Serous
Ovarian Cancer
A PERSONAL ODYSSEY THROUGH FUNCTIONAL TUMOR TESTING
BY INGRID KOLSTOE
C
ancer, with its myriad forms and manifestations,
thrusts individuals into a realm of uncertainty
and fear. My journey with ovarian cancer took
an unexpected turn when I was diagnosed with
a rare subtype known as low-grade serous ovarian cancer. In
the midst of the storm, the lifeline extended to me came in
the form of functional tumor testing-the PARIS® Test-a
revolutionary approach that not only illuminated the unique
characteristics of my cancer, but also became the guiding force
in my battle against this rare adversary.
DISCOVERING LOW-GRADE
SEROUS OVARIAN CANCER
The journey began with a tear in my c-section
scar. I went to my gynecologist to see if
I could have it corrected. It seemed as if it
was going to be an easy surgery. I will never
forget the anesthesiologist saying, " Don't
worry, you will be out of surgery in one-anda-half
hours. " Twelve hours later, and a stage
IIIc rare ovarian cancer was what I woke
up to. Little did I anticipate the life-altering
diagnosis that awaited me. Low-grade
serous ovarian cancer, a rare subtype that
constitutes a small percentage of ovarian
cancers, proved to be an enigma. Its rarity
added complexity to an already formidable
adversary, leaving both me and my medical
team grappling with the challenge of understanding
and treating this elusive cancer.
20
ELEPHANTSANDTEA.ORG
PRECISION MEDICINE ISSUE 2024
FUNCTIONAL TUMOR TESTING:
A GLIMPSE INTO THE UNSEEN-
INTRODUCING THE PARIS TEST
Confronted with the unique nature of
low-grade serous ovarian cancer, traditional
diagnostic methods often fell short in
providing a comprehensive understanding
of the disease. After my third major debulking
surgery with my OB-GYN oncology
team telling me there was nothing left to
do, I set out on my path to look for anything
innovative that was not the standard of
care. Coincidentally, it also coincided with
the fifty-year anniversary of my grandmother's
death from ovarian cancer. I was
enraged that the same medication that was
given to her for treatment and didn't work,
was also offered to me. This is where the
PARIS Test by SEngine emerged as a beacon
of hope, offering an unparalleled glimpse
into the unseen intricacies of my cancer at
the molecular level.
The process began with a biopsy-a
tiny sample extracted from the core of
the tumor. This small fragment of tissue,
seemingly insignificant, held the genetic
code that would unlock the secrets of
my cancer's vulnerabilities. In the laboratory,
the magic of functional tumor
testing unfolded as my cancer cells were
subjected to a battery of drugs, revealing
how they responded in a controlled
environment. It turns out that I was
chemotherapy-resistant, and had very
little response to the other FDA-approved
medications for low grade. What an astounding
piece of data I received. I not
only received a report on what worked,
but, more importantly, the data also included
what wouldn't work. The time,
pain, and sadness from treatment failure
I saved myself by not doing the standard
of care cannot be quantified.
The persona l i zed nature of funct
ional tumor test ing became evident
as the results illuminated the specific
characterist ics of my cancer. Unl ike
conventional diagnostics, which might
categorize cancers based on broad classifications,
functional testing dri lled
down to the nuances of low-grade serous
ovarian cancer, identifying its unique
vulnerabi lities and potential avenues
for targeted treatment.
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