spotlight on helth Get To Know The “Personl” Side Of Cncer (NAPSA)—Well know wht cncer is. We hve ll been touched by it in some wy—our tips to tlk to your doctor bout biomrker tests nd personlized medicine. 3. Ask your doctor if biomrker test is right for you: You cn strt by lerning more bout biomrkers for different fmilies; our friends; our children; or ourselves. But missing piece of the story is understnding how cncer cre is chnging. If you or loved one hs cncer, then you likely hve lots of questions. Where cn you lern more bout your cncer? Is there new reserch you should know bout? We hve n ide wht cnceris nd hve seen whtit cn do, but now the lngugeof cncer cre is shifting. You my be fmilir with words like “personlized medicine” or “biomrker.” If not, you re not lone. A new survey found tht three in four ptients with type of cncer tht hs known biomrker hvenot tlked to their doctor bout it.* And six out of 10 people did not know wht the word “biomrker” mens. “In simple terms, personlized medicine mens tht doctors use informtion bout some cncer tumors’ genes or proteins to try to find trgeted wys to tret it. Biomrkers cn tell us lot bout how person’s cncer my behve nd how it might respondto specific tretment,” sid Dr. Chrles Blch, pst president of the Society of Surgicl Oncology. “Knowing this helps us select from vilble tretment options nd choose one tht is more likely to work. With this pproch, we cn help trget the right tretment, t the right time, for the right ptient. tumor types t www.CncerlIts Personl.com. Tht wy, you cn see if there might be test for your type of cncer. Ask your oncologist bout biomrkers nd whether testing is right for you. People should tlk to their doctor to see if there is biomrker test for their type of cncer.” Do you need help hving more informed tlk with your doctor? You cn lern more by going to the website www.CncerltsPersonl.com. This website is prt of progrm clled “Cncer: It’s Personl.” Here re some quick tips to get you strted: 1. Get to know the lnguge of cncer cre: On the website, you cn find list of cncer terms your doctor my use, such s “trgeted therpy.” You my lso wnt to keep your ownlist of words you re not fmilir with so you cn tlk to your doctor bout them. 2. Mke list of questions: It my be helpful to write out everything you wnt to know bout your cncer. Then, when you visit your doctor, you know where to strt the converstion. www.CncerIltsPersonl.com offers guide with questions nd “Cncer: It’s Personl is progrm, sponsored by Pfizer Oncology, tht offers resources to help people with cncer nd their loved ones spek with their doctors bout personlized medicine nd biomrkers. Lern more bout personlized medicine nd biomrker testing t www.CncerltsPersonl.com. *About the Survey The “Cncer: It’s Personl” survey, sponsored by Pfizer Oncology, surveyed people with cncer nd their cregivers to explore their wreness of personlized medicine in cncer nd biomrkertesting. A ntionl representtive sm- ple of 500 people with cncer nd 300 cregivers over the ge of 18 were invited vi e-mil to prticipte in 10-minute self-dminis- tered online survey. The surveys were given between Februry 3 nd Februry 18, 2011. The study ws conducted by TNS Globl Mrket Reserch, prt of Kntr. ? TNS Globl Mrket Reserch. “Cncer: It’s Personl” Cncer Ptients nd Cregivers Survey Results. Februry — Mrch 2011. P. 53-54.
