If you want to identify a gene that contributes to ovarian cancer, you need access to a significant number of ovarian cancer patients to look for the presence or absence of particular genes. That means searching tissue specimens. Impath has an extensive tissue repository, and we are currently tracking 1.7 million patients nationwide, collecting data on all kinds of cancers. We already partner with genomics companies to collect data and will assist them in finding patients and planning clinical trials. What we are really doing is forming a virtual information network.
Many cancers still defy treatment.
Knowing exactly what kind of cancer a patient has is crucial. A significant percentage of cancers are diagnosed after they've spread to a second site. Colon cancer cells may show up in a lymph node, or prostate cancer cells may turn up in the brain. Now, we can use highly sophisticated molecular DNA-based technologies to identify the place in the body where the cancer originated. That ability has revolutionized the management of certain kinds of cancer, especially lymphomas and leukemias.