For Physicians

Drugs targeting proteins key for cancer progression, such as Herceptin and Gleevec, are increasingly employed in the treatment of cancer patients. Key to the development of these drugs was the recognition that only specific subsets of cancer patients could be successfully treated with these drugs. Patients were selected for treatment based upon expression in their tumor of the protein targeted by the drug, emphasizing the importance of coupling molecular diagnostics with therapeutic decision-making and recognizing that the era of “one-drug-fits-all” therapy has passed.

Yet since the pharmaceutical research economy dictates that new drug entities be tested in indications with the highest number of patients first, patients with less common cancers (like ovarian cancer) are often the last to benefit from the latest therapeutic advances. It can take years for the widespread testing and integration of any newly approved drug into routine clinical use, and many patients are unaware of and may not receive the best therapeutic options.

The outlook for patients who present with advanced stage ovarian cancer or who relapse following chemotherapy is poor, despite the advances in cytotoxic chemotherapeutic options that have been achieved over the past decade. The average overall 5-year survival for this group of patients is 30% and treatment is primarily palliative.

The Clearity Foundation is shifting the paradigm. We seek to improve treatment outcomes in recurrent and progressive patients by providing diagnostic services that determine the molecular profile of the individual patient, allowing you to better match your patient’s profile with an appropriate clinical trial or other treatment. We also maintain a database of results that will identify patterns which, over time, may help with new treatments. We will share the results of the database with you so that you can see how your patient’s profile compares to the population. The Clearity Foundation is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit and sponsors the molecular profiling diagnostic tests. You will be provided the results of the profiling and consultation and we can help assist in determining which clinical trial may be right for your patient.