SAGE Oncotest™ Info and Patient Request Form
About the SAGE Oncotest™
Every tumor is unique and so is your response to any treatment you might receive. Triggered by our very personal experience with cancer we have developed a test to help your oncologist to find the best possible treatment for you.
Knowing the limitations of genomic and other biomarkers to extrapolate whether your tumor might respond to a specific therapy, we embarked on a concept that makes intuitive sense, the SAGE Oncotest™: Testing how your live cancer tissue responds to various treatment options in our lab.
We accomplish that by getting a live, fresh, live tumor sample – that has been obtained during surgery or during a special biopsy – directly shipped to us overnight so that we can start working on it on the same morning. We then process your tissue to create hundreds of microscopically small tumor cells or tissues that are very similar to your original cancer.1 Per your oncologist’s request, we will test a panel of FDA approved drugs consistent with generally accepted treatment standards so that your oncologist can go “beyond standard of care while staying within standard of care.” During the SAGE Oncotest™, your tumor cells or tissues will be exposed to a range of treatment options at various doses, and if your tumor cells or tissues is still alive after being treated for several days with ultra-high doses of therapies, this does strongly suggest that your tumor may be resistant to that treatment and using that might only cause unnecessary side effects and harm. The test will also tell us which treatment might work, even though that can never be guaranteed. In any event, your oncologist have these results within 7-10 days to discuss with you which treatment is best for you.
Specimen and Privacy
Once we have received your specimen, any tissues created out of your sample and any results of analyses will become property of SAGE and may be used for any purposes, including quality control and research. At SAGE, we take individual privacy seriously, especially when it comes to complying with HIPAA regulations. 2 We are committed to protecting the confidentiality of all personal information that we collect from you. However, to the extent compliant with federal and state laws, we may use and retain your personal information provided for various purposes, including quality control and research, e.g. if we want to reach out to you in the future.
Costs
The SAGE Oncotest™ is currently not covered by insurance and out-of-pocket costs for the test are listed on the attached pricing info and invoice sheet. To keep things simple for you, the costs (fees) include a) overnight shipment, b) any potential handling fees of my physician obtaining and sending the sample, c) performing the test, d) reporting the results, and e) any potential interpretation fees of my treating oncologist. However, the fee for the SAGE Oncotest™ does not include the cost for obtaining the sample, although it might be obtained without any additional charge to you during a surgical procedure or core needle biopsy, if that is performed for another reason.
By signing below, you acknowledge that you have read and understood the information are requesting a fresh biopsy sample of your tumor to be sent to and analyzed by SAGE. You also agree to the terms and conditions and to be invoiced for the SAGE Oncotest™ – unless fully discounted – as outlined in the attached pricing information and invoice.