Whether you are newly diagnosed with breast cancer in New York, Chicago, or Los Angeles, new advances in technology are available that can determine the biology of your specific tumor type by using genetic testing for breast cancer. This information is used to tailor your cancer treatment plan around your specific tumor biology to give you the best outcome and possibly avoid the side effects of breast cancer treatment. Why have chemotherapy if your tumor wont respond to it? Why have hormonal therapy if you wont receive any benefit?

Targeting Therapy for YOUR cancer

Matching an individuals biology with a selected therapy is called personalized medicine, and attempts to use targeted therapy for breast cancer. Looking at the genes in your tumor and determining how the genes are functioning is the first step in personalizing your medical plan. Once the genomic test has been performed, the breast cancer recurrence test, along with your personal clinical and pathological factors, will tell you and your doctor how your tumor is behaving and to which therapy it will best respond.

Juliann Reiland, MD, Breast Surgeon, Avera Medical Group, Sioux Falls, SD

John Link, MD, Breast Oncology, Breastlink, Orange, CA

The main reason we can individualize your medical treatment is that we can now look at specific genes in your tumor that show how your tumor is behaving: whether it is a more aggressive tumor and requires chemotherapy or whether it is a less aggressive tumor and other milder therapies might work just as effectively but without the caustic side effects of chemotherapy.

Looking at tumor cells gene expression is called genomic profiling, or genomic testing.

Genomic testing measures how your tumor genes are being expressed which tells physicians how your tumor will behave. Once you know what type of tumor you have and how it behaves, you and your doctor can tailor the right approach, or personalize your treatment plan.

No two tumors are the same.Their treatments shouldnt be either.

Personalized medicine is about tailoring your treatment plan for your tumor. In order to do this, you need to know the genomic makeup of your tumor.

How do you do that?

Get a genomic test on your tumor. Find a doctor.

Peter D. Beitsch, MD FACS, Breast Surgical Oncologist, Dallas Surgical Group, Dallas, TX

Below is an edited transcript of a Twitter chat held Oct. 21, 2015 and sponsored by the Tigerlily Foundation (Twitter: @tigerlilycares). The chat was organized under #ybcsempowered Young Breast Cancer Survivors Empowered. The discussion focused on molecular diagnostic (genomic) testing for breast cancer.

TigerLily Twitter Chat Transcript

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Personalized Medicine | Breast Cancer New York & LA

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