A Modern Approach to Your Cancer Biopsy – Why Cryopreserving Your Tumor Tissue is a Game-Changer

 

A cancer diagnosis, or even the suspicion of one, is one of the most frightening moments in a person’s life. The immediate thought is, “What’s the best way to fight this?” The biopsy is one of the very first and most critical steps in that fight. It’s the procedure that provides the definitive diagnosis and, most importantly, the tissue that will guide every treatment decision. While most people have little time to research their options before this crucial procedure, understanding your choices now can make a monumental difference in the battle ahead.

For decades, the standard procedure has been to preserve biopsy tissue using a method called Formalin-Fixed Paraffin-Embedded, or FFPE. While FFPE has its place in pathology, a new, more advanced method—cryopreservation—is revolutionizing how we approach cancer treatment. Medicine is advancing at a breathtaking pace, and cryopreservation is the current evolutionary step in the effective treatment of biopsy tissue. The reason you may not have heard of it is because the current standard has been around for over 100 years, and change within the medical institution is notoriously difficult. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t advocate for yourself to ensure you get the best possible care. Here’s why.

1. The Power of Personalized, Precision Cancer Treatment

Imagine being able to test a variety of cancer therapies on your own tumor cells before they are ever administered to your body. This isn’t science fiction; it’s a reality made possible by cryopreserving your tissue.

The most significant benefit of cryopreservation is the ability to perform ex-vivo drug sensitivity testing. This means “outside the living body.” Your cryopreserved tissue can be revived in a lab and cultured against hundreds of different cancer drugs and therapeutic combinations. The results show exactly which treatments are most effective at killing your specific cancer cells and which ones are useless.

This process transforms the cancer treatment paradigm from a trial-and-error approach to a precision-guided attack. Instead of starting with a standard treatment and hoping it works—often enduring horrible side effects and losing precious time if it fails—you can begin with the treatment that has been proven to be most effective for your unique cancer. This can save you from unnecessary physical and emotional hardship, reduce the likelihood of treatment-related complications, and give you the best possible chance of a positive outcome from day one. And here’s the best part: getting the results from ex-vivo testing takes only 3-4 days. It doesn’t delay your treatment; it simply ensures that your very first treatment is the most effective one possible.

2. Unlocking the Future of Medicine with Genomic Testing and Personalized Immunotherapies

Cryopreservation doesn’t just preserve the tissue’s physical structure; it also protects the integrity of its genomic material, including DNA and RNA. This is a critical advantage over FFPE, as the chemical fixation process of FFPE can damage or degrade these delicate molecules, making them less suitable for advanced genomic analysis.

The high-quality genetic material from cryopreserved tissue is the key to creating personalized immunotherapies and cancer vaccines. These cutting-edge treatments are designed to train your body’s own immune system to recognize and destroy cancer cells. Genomic testing on your cryopreserved tissue can identify the specific mutations and biomarkers of your tumor, allowing scientists to design a custom treatment that targets your cancer’s unique genetic fingerprint. This level of personalization is the frontier of cancer medicine, and access to this technology begins with the quality of your tissue sample. By choosing cryopreservation, you are taking the essential step toward giving yourself the absolute best chance of treatment success.

3. Gaining Access to Clinical Trials

For many patients, participation in a clinical trial offers the best hope for a cure or a chance to try a therapy that isn’t yet widely available. However, a growing number of these trials, particularly those focused on targeted therapies, immunotherapies, and advanced genomic research, require cryopreserved tissue for enrollment.

This is where the biopsy becomes one of the most important moments of your cancer journey. What many cancer patients don’t realize is that if they don’t intentionally select to cryopreserve their tissue, they will probably be disqualified from most clinical trials—especially the advanced trials providing the most cutting-edge therapies. By choosing cryopreservation from the start, you keep all doors open to potential treatments, ensuring you have the widest possible range of options available to you, both now and in the future.

100-Year-Old FFPE isn’t Good Enough Anymore

The traditional method of FFPE preservation, while a cornerstone of pathology, is a relic of a different era of medicine. It was designed for diagnosis, not for the dynamic, personalized, and proactive treatment strategies of today.

In the fast-paced world of oncology, time is of the essence. You cannot afford to wait and see if a standard treatment works, only to learn later that you could have had access to a better, more targeted therapy from the start.

Choosing to cryopreserve your tissue is a forward-thinking decision that puts you in the driver’s seat of your health. It gives you the power to:

• Test treatments before you start, avoiding unnecessary side effects and delays.
• Unlock the potential for next-generation, personalized therapies and vaccines.
• Ensure eligibility for the most promising clinical trials.

The fear of missing out (FOMO) on these life-saving opportunities is real, but it’s completely avoidable. Don’t let this crucial opportunity pass you by. Contact SpeciCare today to learn more about cryopreserving your tumor tissue or blood and taking control of your cancer journey. The cost for cryopreservation is a one-time upfront cost of $499, with long-term storage available for just $29 per month. Discounts are also available for paying storage annually.

Do your research, talk to your medical team, and empower yourself with the best possible resource for your fight against cancer. Your future self will thank you for it.

About SpeciCare

SpeciCare is a revolutionary company dedicated to empowering cancer patients by providing them with access to advanced, personalized treatment options. Founded by a physician, SpeciCare was created to address the limitations of traditional cancer care by helping patients take ownership of their tumor tissue. The company’s mission is to be the catalyst that connects patients with cutting-edge research and clinical trials, ensuring that the best possible treatments are available to them. SpeciCare works with patients, clinicians, and researchers to make live tissue science the new standard of care, offering hope and new options for those facing a cancer diagnosis.