Breast Cancer – Chemotherapy Resistance Testing

Resistance Testing for Breast Cancer Chemotherapy Treatment

To ensure that your chemotherapy treatment is as effective as possible, CTCA cancer doctors may perform a simple laboratory test to determine the best combinations of chemotherapy to use for your particular type of breast cancer. The chemotherapy resistance test is used for solid breast cancer tumors to help determine the probability of a tumor’s resistance to specific chemotherapeutic drugs. In this test, a sample of your tumor is removed and tested against a panel of antitumor drugs.

If your tumor cells grow in the presence of extreme exposure to a drug, this indicates the presence of significant drug resistance. Therefore, if your tumor is resistant to a drug in this situation, then it will almost certainly be resistant if breast cancer chemotherapy introduces that drug in your body. With this information, your medical oncologist at CTCA can avoid unnecessary toxicity and consider other breast cancer treatment protocols. Chemotherapy resistance testing is generally used in patients who have been previously treated with chemotherapy and are looking for additional breast cancer treatment options.

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Breast Cancer