Does my hospital/ Doctor store my tumor ?

Hospitals generally keep only a very small piece of the tumor for their own purposes, and usually it’s preserved in paraffin (dead). Whereas, KeepMyTumor preserves as much tumor as possible in frozen viable format. KeepMyTumor maximizes the opportunities for patients to use their tissue for their own benefit.

My cancer will change and mutate over time (and when subjected to treatments), so will my preserved tumor be of any use?

Absolutely, AND in most cases, the preserved tumor is the best and only available option to work with. For cancer vaccines, vaccines made out of the patient’s previously stored tumor induce an immune response against ALL tumor associated antigens (the shared, known, unknown and the neo). Importantly, inducing an immune response against the old mutations (and not the ones present in the current tumor) has been shown to cause what is called ‘epitope or multi-functional spreading’ and also induces an immune response against the new antigens.  Vaccinating with the patient’s previously preserved tumor can induce an immune response against the entire repertoire of antigens – which is a plus.

My doctor thinks that my tumor is too small, and won't be sufficient for any later use, is he/she right ?

There is no way for anyone to tell how many cancer cells are in a certain volume of tissue. If you have a small tumor, it does not necessarily mean you have a small number of cancer cells. Many factors play a role, including previous treatments you have had that affected the viability of the cancer cells, the stage and type of your cancer, and the desired final use.  Call us so we will guide you through the decisions and help you prioritize based on the amount of tissue available.​

My doctor is confident in chemo and radiation. Why do I need to think about advanced diagnostics or experimental trials now?

Although “standard of care” treatments (chemo and radiation) can be effective but some people will not respond as anticipated, or respond but later develop resistance, or find the side effects over time too much to bear. Each person and cancer is unique, and trying to predict who might respond best is tricky. Keeping all of the options open, through viable tumor preservation, is like an insurance policy for the future. 

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 Why does the tumor need to be stored alive (“viable”)?

Personalised Cancer treatments require live cancer cells. These cells must be collected during surgery and preserved sterilely and alive.

What types of tumors do you preserve?

All diseases. All sizes (including biopsies). Solid and fluid (ascites). Ascites is every bit as powerful as a solid tumor for most applications. In fact, it is sometimes more dense with cancer cells. 

 Do you accept ascites (fluid tumors)?

Yes absolutely. Contrary to the general perception, Ascites are quite potent in cancer cells and good to preserve.

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How much tumor is required? My tumor is very small, so does it make sense to store it?

The simple answer is: store as much as possible. More tissue typically means more options, and cost is the same for any volume you send us. All tissue is valuable; even a biopsy is useful. We recommend storing as much tumor tissue and fluid as possible (fluid is just as good as solid). Also, if you have a small tumor, it does not necessarily mean you have a small number of cancer cells. Many factors play a role, including previous treatments you have had that affected the viability of the cancer cells. The question of “enough” also depends on the desired application. Call us so we will guide you through the decisions and help you prioritize based on the amount of tissue available.​

I need a kit right away. Can you help?

Call us immediately please. While we typically ship each kit via professional courier services, we understand that sometimes an unprecedented delay may be caused in the delivery of the kits. We request to inform us on time so that we can plan accordingly.

How quickly does the tumor need to be sent to your facility?

To assure optimal viability, we ask that the tissue be packed and shipped on the same day it is removed from the body. We will track the shipment closely so our lab can be prepared to process it immediately upon receipt.

Where will my tumor be stored and how do I access it when needed?

A reference number shall be generated upon registration of your tissue once it arrives at our facility. Simply make a request to us quoting the reference number and we'll transfer some or all of the tissue as per your request. Transfer fees apply. 

 What if the storage facility loses power?

Our storage facilities are state-of-the-art, with back-up systems in place for power outages. They can be fully operational for weeks without electricity.​​

 What happens to the stored specimen after death or completion of the contract period?

After death or completion of the contract period, clients are given a 30 day period before they automatically relinquish all rights in and to the specimen and waiving all claims to the specimen. In this 30 days period, some family members decide to continue to pay the storage fees and keep it indefinitely. Some families decide to actively terminate their storage responsibility (which they are allowed to do anytime) and relinquish all rights in and to the specimen and waive all claims to the specimen.