Reading the Results
The IndiTreat® Sensitivity Test evaluates tumoroid sensitivity towards cancer treatment regimens. The sensitivity is calculated and presented as relative growth inhibition. Thus, the results of an IndiTreat® test show how sensitive tumoroids from a particular patient are to a specific treatment compared to all previous patients tumoroids tested with the same treatment. The IndiTreat® Sensitivity Test results are reported in two parts: The summary table and the comparison graphs.
The summary table
The summary table gives a quick overview for all the treatment regimens requested and the sensitivity category observed for the patient‘s tumoroids. If the box next to a treatment says “not tested” this will usually be due to lack of sufficient tumoroids to test all requested treatment regimens. If the box says “test failed” this is most likely due to technical reasons.
The comparison graphs
The comparison graphs illustrate how your patient´s tumoroids responded to a particular treatment compared to all patients tumoroids tested for the same treatment (the reference panel). The treatment sensitivities range from Low sensitivity (red) to High sensitivity (green). The blue curve illustrates a curve fit of the normal distribution of the reference panel.
The vertical red line is the relative position of your patient when compared to the reference panel. The sensitivity divisors are calculated as the mean growth inhibition value of the reference panel +/- the standard deviation of the reference panel.
Note: high sensitivity towards one treatment does not automatically result in a high sensitivity towards another treatment containing the first regime (e.g. 5-FU and FOLFOX). The reason is that while a patient may be rather sensitive to the first treatment, he/she may not benefit as much from a combination regimen compared to reference patients.
Interpretation
IndiTreat® is a functional, in vitro drug sensitivity test based on patient-derived 3D tumoroids. As a laboratory test it represents only one part of the overall determination of therapy for patients and does not guarantee outcomes nor indicate the specific drugs that should be used in a particular patient. The selection of any, all, or none of the matched therapies resides solely with the discretion of the treating physician. A patient’s medical history as well as all available information concerning the patient’s condition in accordance with the applicable standard of care should all be considered prior to the independent medical judgment of the treating physician. The test was developed and its performance characteristics determined by 2cureX A/S in Copenhagen, Denmark.