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CellSearch for Cancer
November 23, 2009 |
Like a detective on a mission, it’s a new technique that can zap into potential
cancerous tumors before they attack.
“This is very new technology and Florida Cancer Specialists have just acquired it,”
says Dr. Frank Rodriguez. It’s called “CellSearch.” Through a simple blood test,
the system can capture and detect tumor cells that have detached from solid tumors
and have traveled into a person’s blood stream.
“By looking at these circulating tumors cells, they can be circulating breast cancer
cells, circulating colon, or circulating prostate cancer cells, we can determine whether this is going to be a more aggressive or less aggressive tumor,” explains
Dr. Rodriguez, an oncologist on the Lee Memorial Health System medical staff.
This cancer cell identifier scans for those who already have been diagnosed. This
technology can help physicians and patients craft a cancer treatment plan based
on the findings. “You can then often pick up patterns that will tell you, ‘hey,
this is a tumor that is becoming more aggressive and starting to spread’ even before
you see it on the scans and it allows us to react a little bit earlier and hopefully
get ahead of the curve on those patients treatments.”
For Dr. Rodriguez and his staff, it’s simply revolutionary. “It allows us to provide
cutting-edge therapy. We are really trying to provide complete cancer care, bring
in research and treatment options that are not available to many patients and community
oncology practices.”
New options that can help in the detection and the treatment of cancer.
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