Practitioner Information: MAINTRAC TESTS
Maintrac utilises the most advanced molecular medicine techniques to:
Provide a Circulating Tumour Cell (CTC/CETCs) count to follow up and monitor the effectiveness of a person's treatment
Analyse the sensitivity or resistance of a person's CTC/CETCs chemotherapeutic agents and selected botanicals. This is achieved via in-vitro chemosensitivity testing of CTC/CETCs.
Identify tumour biomarkers present on CTC/CETCs. Practitioners obtain valuable information about the genetics of an individual persons cancer, and targets for treatment that include population of the metastatic cells.
For information on test selection, practitioners may contact medical director Dr. Joachim Fluhrer via the Genostics office on +1300 282 482
Maintrac® CTC/CETC Count
Detection, identification and enumeration of CTCs.
The Maintrac® CTC/CETC Count test is a simple blood test which finds every Circulating Tumour Cell present in the blood. CTC/CETCs in a 15-20mL sample of patient blood are detected and quantified. Live cells are distinguished from fragmented tumour cells and analysed. CTC/CETC-count is an independent prognostic indicator, that is, it gives an indication of the aggressiveness of a patient's cancer at the time of the test. A single CTC/CETC count test is intended as a simple baseline count. The best way to monitor cancer activity and long-term effectiveness of treatment is via a single CTC/CETC Count test every 3-6 months.
Patient information hand-outs for your clinic are available upon request by phoning +61 1300 282 482 or submitting an online enquiry here.
Medical director Dr. Joachim Fluhrer is available for expert consultation with medical and healthcare practitioners to discuss test selection and result interpretation.
Maintrac® Customised Chemosensitivity Testing
In vitro chemosensitivity testing of recommended treatmentss
The Customised Chemosensitivity test analyses how a patient's Circulating Tumour Cells respond when exposed to chemotherapies and/or botanicals. Due to their genetic instability, CTC/CETCs are a heterogenous population of cancer cells, and their characteristics may be distinctly different from the biology and behaviour of the primary cancer. CTC/CETCs that are resistant to treatment may be responsible for metastasis. This test isolates CTC/CETCs and identifies their chemosensitive and chemoresistant profile through cytological chemosensitivity assays. The testing is done on live cells. Substances chosen by the requesting practitioner can be tested individually or in combination to determine synergistic effect. The best way to monitor cancer activity and long-term effectiveness of treatment is via a single CTC/CETC Count test every 3-6 months.
Patient information hand-outs for your clinic are available upon request by phoning +61 1300 282 482 or submitting an online enquiry here.
Medical director Dr. Joachim Fluhrer is available for expert consultation with medical and healthcare practitioners to discuss test selection and result interpretation.
Maintrac® Companion Diagnostics
Biomarker test for treatment targets and aggressive indicators
Maintrac Companion Diagnostics features world-class biomarker analysis. Information on the genetic activity of a person's cancer assists practitioners in gaining an understanding of the unique behaviour of a person's cancer cells. The biomarkers that are available for testing include: Estrogen Receptor, HER2/neu, Androgen Receptor, VEGF Receptor, EGF Receptor, ki-67, PLAP and BRaf mutations. This test can only be requested addition to the CTC/CETC-count test. Other biomarkers may be available upon request. The best way to monitor cancer activity and long-term effectiveness of treatment is via a single CTC/CETC Count test every 3-6 months.
Patient information hand-outs for your clinic are available upon request by phoning +61 1300 282 482 or submitting an online enquiry here.
Medical director Dr. Joachim Fluhrer is available for expert consultation with medical and healthcare practitioners to discuss test selection and result interpretation.
Maintrac® Tumour Sphere Units
CTC/CETCs are capable of forming clusters are associated with increased metastatic risk
The Maintrac Tumour Sphere Units test is useful in guaging metastatic activity. It detects and phenotypically characterises tumour spheres cultured from circulating epithelial tumour cells in patients. The test provides the basis for the first functional test on tumour stem cells from the blood. The fluorescent cell balls carry both EpCAM and the stem cell markers CD44 and ALDH 1 and low CD24. High numbers of spheroids are associated with metastases. Please note a period of up to 21 days in growth media is required for cancer cell clusters. The best way to monitor cancer activity and long-term effectiveness of treatment is via a single CTC/CETC Count test every 3-6 months.
Patient information hand-outs for your clinic are available upon request by phoning +61 1300 282 482 or submitting an online enquiry here.
Medical director Dr. Joachim Fluhrer is available for expert consultation with medical and healthcare practitioners to discuss test selection and result interpretation.