National Center for Personalized Oncology

FDA-approved drugs for your cancer may already exist.

NCPO enables your oncologist to prescribe FDA-approved cancer drugs that are currently unavailable based on standard guidelines, but promising for your cancer. No travel required.

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WHY NCPO EXISTS

Oncology needs innovation today.‍

Where you are treated should not limit your options.

Genomic treatment is still delivered largely by academic medical centers and large urban hospitals.

Genomic testing and newer tests may simply not have been offered to you. Most cancer care happens at community hospitals, where new technologies arrive last. And for many patients, a genomic test finds nothing actionable.

NCPO exists so that your options do not depend on where you happen to be treated.

90% of FDA-approved cancer drugs are never tried on most cancers.

Treatment guidelines list roughly 10% of the 300+ FDA-approved cancer drugs for any given cancer. The other 90% are approved by the FDA, but for other cancers.
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10%
On Guideline

90%
Off Guideline

Exclusion from the guidelines for a specific cancer doesn't indicate a drug cannot be effective for your cancer. It simply means it hasn't been clinically tested for your particular cancer.

THE INNOVATION

Cancer drugs can now be tested against your own live cancer cells.

This method is particularly beneficial for advanced cancer patients who have exhausted standard treatments.

Functional tests can identify effective therapies among all 300+ FDA-approved cancer drugs, not just those approved for your cancer type. They work at any point in treatment, from the last line to the first.

Biopsy

Your living cancer cells.
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Expose

Put approved cancer drugs on your cells.
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Measure

Observe which cancer drugs kill your cancer cells.

Rank

Prioritize cancer drugs by what worked.
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Treat

The oncologist composes a treatment or combination of treatments.

Repeat

When the cancer changes, run the test again.
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Every time a cancer changes, a new test can identify the next cancer drugs.

HOW YOU GET ACCESS

NCPO works with your oncologist. Cancer Commons assists you in the process.

Cancer Commons works with you

The nonprofit that founded NCPO. Since 2011 it has guided cancer patients, with free help from PhD scientists, and it runs the study you can join. This is who you contact.

Get Guidance through Cancer Commons

NCPO works with your oncologist

It gives your doctor the scientific evidence, and the insurance and access support, to use FDA-approved treatments beyond the standard guidelines.

How it works. It's free.

Cancer Commons is the patient's front door: PhD scientists who help you understand your options. Its guidance is free. You can take part through the CCCS001 study with your own oncologist, anywhere in the United States, with no travel to a trial site.

Reach out

Call or email the Cancer Commons study team. A nurse navigator listens to your situation and explains whether the CCCS001 study fits it. Guidance is free.

Stay with your own oncologist

You remain under the care of your own oncologist, anywhere in the United States. No travel to a trial site, no change of doctor.

Get tested

Diagnostic tests, arranged with your oncologist, look at your specific cancer to help identify FDA-approved cancer drugs that may work for it. Testing and treatment may have costs, which the team helps you understand.

Decide together

A scientific evidence report goes to you and your oncologist. Every treatment decision is made by you and your own care team.

Get Guidance through Cancer Commons