Frequently Asked Questions

How do I get tested?

Start the process by filling out two confidential online forms. The Request for Information Form allows the Clearity Foundation to send your doctor literature explaining the process and to connect him with the appropriate medical contact within the foundation. The Patient Consent Form states your permission for the Clearity Foundation to run tests on your cancer and retain copies of your data for research purposes.

What type of sample is needed?

All panels require a surgically-obtained sample of your tumor. If your cancer does not require surgery, you are not eligible for this service. Most of our panel can be performed on archived tumor samples. Only our phospho protein panel requires that we contact your doctor prior to your surgery.

I’ve already had my surgery. Is it too late to have my cancer tested?

We offer two panels that can be performed on stored samples: the basic panel and the more in-depth mutational panel. Surgical pathologists are required to keep samples of removed tumors for a certain period. Your doctor can request that a sliver of that stored sample be utilized for testing.

How much does all of this cost?

Costs vary depending on the battery of tests performed. Some tests are covered by medical insurance; the Clearity Foundation will pay for testing costs that are not covered by your insurance company.

How does the sample get to the laboratory?

The Clearity Foundation has contracted with a laboratory service that will pick up your sample and order form and deliver it to the testing facility or the pathology lab at the hospital where you had surgery will send it via a courier.

What if I don’t live in the US? Can my cancer still be tested?

Please contact the Clearity Foundation for special delivery arrangements.

How long does it take for the test results to come back?

From the time we receive the sample, the basic panel typically takes 4 days, the phosphoprotein panel 7 days, and the mutational panel about 10 days. All results will be provided to your doctor within four weeks, sooner if possible.

Once we have the test results, what’s next?

If your cancer continues to progress, the Clearity Foundation will help you and your doctor with treatment options, including facilitating choices for clinical trials. If your tests show that your cancer is sensitive to a particular drug or pathway we will work together with your doctor to find a protocol for your future treatment.

Why aren’t the drug companies doing this themselves? How does the Clearity Foundation help?

Drug companies perform targeted testing because the drug development process is so rigorous and a high volume of patients must be tested prior to the drug’s approval. Because the FDA requires statistical significance in these trials (a certain number of patients enrolled), drug companies develop for indications first where there is a high incidence rate, such as breast cancer (178,000 new diagnoses per year) rather than diseases such as ovarian cancer (22,000 new diagnoses per year).
Signing up to have your blueprint determined will help encourage drug companies to conduct more clinical trials in ovarian cancer. By understanding the blueprint across the ovarian cancer population and how each one is different or similar, will help direct future treatments.