How to think about your tumor Your tumor and the removed tissue is important to you as a cancer patient. It contains information about your unique cancer. This information can be extracted from the tissue and may someday help the doctor treat you. The tumor is a storehouse of white blood cells and chemicals which your body has secreted to fight your cancer. Prior to any cancer surgery, discuss analysis of your tumor with your doctor and what will be done with your tissue after it is removed.
Some institutions freeze a portion of the tumor for later analysis.
If your tumor is frozen, it may also be a good idea to freeze some of your blood for analysis. The tumor may be used to make a vaccine to treat any cancer that has spread to other organs. Part of the tumor may be used for drug sensitivity tests. It can also be used for genetic testing.