DiaTech Test Predicts Most Effective Chemotherapy for Cancer Patients

NASHVILLE, Tenn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Published research from a multi-institutional clinical trial shows that physicians frequently use DiaTech Oncology’s customized predictive chemosensitivity test, which is known as the MiCK® assay or CorrectChemo™, when they see an individual patient's results. The test identifies the most effective chemotherapy drug or drug combination to kill a patient’s specific cancer cells.

“We’ve long known that chemotherapy initiates self-destruction in tumor cells”

When oncologists used the patented test - and applied the results to develop a treatment plan - they consistently reported improved health outcomes, including an increase in complete plus partial response rates, longer times to relapse and longer overall survival.

The MiCK assay showed significantly positive results for patients with all types of cancer.

A DiaTech study recently published in the American Cancer Society’s highly-regarded medical journal, Cancer, showed that after oncologists received the results from DiaTech’s MiCK assay, 64 percent used the assay to help decide a patient’s treatment plan.

“We’ve long known that chemotherapy initiates self-destruction in tumor cells,” said DiaTech Oncology’s Medical Director Cary Presant, MD. “The MiCK assay measures this drug-induced apoptosis and therefore identifies the most effective treatment prior to drug administration. As the utility study shows, the encouraging news for cancer patients and their doctors is that using our MiCK assay leads to statistically superior treatment outcomes.”

Results of the study include the following:

When patients received palliative chemotherapy and oncologists used the MiCK assay to determine treatment plans, the complete plus partial response rate was 44 percent, versus 6.7 percent in patients whose physicians did not use the MiCK assay.
Median overall survival was 10.1 months in patients receiving palliative chemotherapy whose oncologists used the MiCK assay versus only 4.1 months in patients whose physicians did not use the MiCK assay.
Relapse-free interval was 8.6 months in patients receiving palliative chemotherapy whose oncologists used the MiCK assay versus only 4 months in patients whose physicians did not use the MiCK assay.

The MiCK assay is the only test on the market that can tell a treating oncologist the most effective chemotherapy treatment for an individual patient. The results of DiaTech’s research are creating an industry buzz, following studies published in several of the industry’s most prestigious medical journals, including Cancer Research, the Journal of Translational Medicine, the Journal of Gynecologic Oncology, Leukemia & Lymphoma and the International Journal of Cancer. DiaTech’s most recent studies published in medical journals include those for breast cancer, leukemia, ovarian cancer and endometrial cancer.

DiaTech Oncology Resources

Learn about the benefits of DiaTech Oncology’s MiCK assay from Chief Medical Officer, Cary Presant, MD: Video overview of DiaTech
View time-lapse imaging video showing apoptosis (cell death) during chemotherapy: Video of apoptosis

About DiaTech Oncology

DiaTech Oncology is a privately-held life sciences and clinical pathology laboratory company that offers patient-specific chemotherapy testing to help oncologists determine the best cancer treatment plans for their patients. DiaTech utilizes a patented technology called the Microculture Kinetic (MiCK) assay, which measures apoptosis (cell death) induced in a specific patient’s cancer cells by chemotherapy. The only test on the market that evaluates the chemotherapeutic drug effect for a specific patient and can tell which chemotherapy drugs are most effective, the MiCK assay has successfully tested all types of cancer. The MiCK assay is also used to determine the effectiveness of new drugs in preclinical trials for the pharmaceutical industry. For more information, call (877) 434-2832. Online: www.diatech-oncology.com.