Terms and Conditions

Oncofocus & Immunofocus Cancer Tests

  1. Definitions
    1. In these Terms and Conditions, the following definitions apply:

      Agent: a sales agent engaged by Oncologica to seek orders for the Oncologica Test.

      Charges: the charges payable by the Patient for the Oncologica Test, including costs of collecting the Sample.

      Consent Form: the consent form signed by the Patient to authorise Oncologica to request the pathology reports and samples from the designated hospital and to carry out the Oncologica Test.

      Contract: the contract between Oncologica and the Patient for the sale and purchase of the Oncologica Test.

      Data Protection Legislation: all applicable laws and regulations relating to the processing of personal data and privacy, including the General Data Protection Regulation 2018 and the Data Protection Act 2018 as may be amended or replaced from time to time.

      Insured Patient: a Patient whose Oncologica Test is paid for by a private commercial health insurance company including but not limited to BUPA, AXA PPB, Vitality Health, Aviva;

      Oncologica: Oncologica UK Ltd registered at Suite 2, The Newnham Building, Chesterford Research Park, Cambridge CB10 1XL in England and Wales with company number 09305104.

      Patient(s): the person for whom the Oncofocus Test is ordered, and who is identified on the Patient Test Request Form

      Oncologica Test Request Form: Oncologica’s patient test request form completed by the Patient or the Patient’s physician

      Personal Data: has the meaning given to it in the Data Protection Legislation.Oncologica Test Report: the final report in .pdf format produced by Oncologica showing the data produced by the Oncologica Test.

      Sample: the sample of tissue required to enable Oncologica to provide the Oncologica Test.

      Self-Funding Patient: any Patient who pays Oncologica or an Agent for the Oncologica Test other than through a private commercial health insurance company

      Terms and Conditions: these Oncologica terms and conditions of sale

      Oncologica Test(s): (a) the precision oncology test known as the “Oncofocus Test”; (b) The Oncologica® Immunofocus PD-L1 immunocytochemistry assay qualitatively identifies Programmed Cell Death Ligand 1(PD-L1) protein in sections of formalin fixed, paraffin embedded cancer tissues. This Laboratory Developed Test utilises the RUO rabbit monoclonal antibody clone E1L3N (Cell Signalling Technologies) and Leica Bond III instrumentation. The performance of the Immunofocus assay is continually assessed by involvement in recognised External Quality Assessment schemes and returns performance levels commensurate with approved the PD-L1 diagnostic assays. Clone E1L3N is not licensed and approved for use in clinical testing to direct the use of PD-1/PD-L1 therapies. The PD-L1 protein expression levels in tumour cells generated by the Immunofocus PD-L1 assay should therefore be interpreted within the context of these facts; and (c) any other tests relating to guidance on treatment.

      Working Day: a day other than a Saturday, Sunday or public holiday in England.

  2. Formation of Contract
    1. The Patient Test Request Form constitutes an offer by the Patient to purchase an Oncologica Test in accordance with these Terms and Conditions.
      (a) The Patient Test Request Form shall be deemed to be accepted only when Oncologica receives payment from the Self-Funding Patient or, if the Self-Funding Patient has submitted the Patient Test Request Form through an Agent, when Oncologica receives payment of the Charges from the Agent. On receipt of such payment, the Contract shall come into existence to include these Terms and Conditions and the Oncologica Test will be performed by Oncologica.
      (b) The Patient Test Request Form shall be deemed to be accepted only when Oncologica receives confirmation of the authorisation code of the private commercial health insurance company from an Insured Patient, or if the Insured Patient has submitted the Patient Test Request Form through an Agent, when Oncologica receives confirmation of the authorisation code from the Agent. Once the authorisation code is received by Oncologica, the Contract shall come into existence, to include these Terms and Conditions and Oncologica will perform the Oncologica Test, and either the Insured Patient or the Agent is responsible for payment of the Charge within the time period set out in the Oncologica invoice.
    2. These Terms and Conditions govern the sale and supply of the Oncologica Test and the Oncologica Test Report to the exclusion of all other terms and conditions of business, including any that the Patient may provide, and any terms implied by law, custom or practice to the maximum extent permitted by law. These Terms of Sale shall apply whether the Patient purchases the Oncologica Test directly from Oncologica or through an Agent.
    3. The Patient acknowledges that it has not relied on any statement, promise, representation, assurance or warranty made or given by or on behalf of the Agent or Oncologica which is not set out in the Contract. In particular, any marketing materials issued by the Agent or Oncologica, and any descriptions or illustrations contained in Oncologica’s catalogues or brochures shall not form part of the Contract or have any contractual force.
    4. On completion of your test, the Patient may receive an invitation request to submit a Trustpilot review. Whilst this feedback is valuable to us, it is not compulsory.
  3. The Oncologica Test
    1. Oncologica will include the Oncofocus Test and the Immunofocus PD-L1 Test as one bundle. The Immunofocus TMB, Immunofocus MMR and Immunofocus MSI will be performed at the Patient’s request as identified on the Oncologica Test Request Form.
    2. The Patient must provide consent for their tissue to be processed by signing a Consent Form and sending this to Oncologica. In cases where the patient cannot provide consent because of their medical condition or are under the age of consent (e.g. because they are a child under the age of 18) a patient representative can give consent on their behalf.
    3. Oncologica requires the Oncologica Test Request Form, the Consent Form and payment in order to perform Oncologica Tests.
    4. On receipt of payment Oncologica will request the Patient’s Sample and arrange shipment using a tracked-courier service.
    5. Oncologica shall analyse the Sample to check its suitability for the Oncologica Test. If the Sample does not meet Oncologica’s requirements at this pre-assessment stage, then, Oncologica shall inform the Patient or Agent and if a replacement Sample is provided, Oncologica shall again analyse the Sample, and confirm whether such replacement Sample meets Oncologica’s requirements.
    6. If neither the first Sample nor any replacement Sample meets Oncologica’s requirements at the pre- assessment stage: then if Oncologica has received payment direct from the Patient, Oncologica shall refund the Charges to the Patient, less the pre -assessment costs which is 10% of the Charges. (If Oncologica has received payment from an Agent for the Oncologica Test, it shall refund the Agent and the Agent shall refund the Patient.)
    7. If the Sample progresses through the pre-assessment stage and then fails the analysis stage then Oncologica will repeat the Oncologica Test, to attempt to obtain a result, at no extra cost to the Patient. If the Oncologica Test fails to yield results for a second time, the Patient will be given the option to have an additional Sample tested or receive a partial refund which will be assessed based on the work already completed. If this repeat Oncologica Test fails to yield results then there will be no refund.
    8. If the Sample fails to  meet Oncologica’s requirements for the Oncofocus Test but meets the requirements of the Immunofocus Test, then if Oncologica has received payment direct from the Patient, Oncologica shall refund the Charges to the Patient, less the pre-assessment costs and less the Immunofocus Test (If Oncologica has received payment from an Agent for the Oncologica Test, it shall refund the Agent and the agent shall refund the Patient).
    9. Oncologica warrants to the Patient that it shall carry out the Oncologica Test and prepare the Oncologica Test Report with reasonable care and skill.
    10. Subject to Clause 3.1 to 3.5, Oncologica shall use reasonable endeavours to carry out the Oncologica Test within 15 Working Days of receipt of the Sample and payment of the Charges but time shall not be of the essence.
    11. Following completion of the Oncologica Test, Oncologica shall send the Oncologica Test Report in pdf. format to the Patient if requested by the Patient and/or Patient’s Physician. No intellectual property rights in the Oncologica Test Report shall transfer to the Patient and/or Patient’s Physician.
    12. The Patient or Patient’s physician shall not amend or change the Oncologica Test Report.
    13. Oncologica shall, via a tracked courier service, return the Sample to the hospital where it was held.
    14. The patient fully consents to Oncologica using their Sample and test results on a completely anonymised basis for the purpose of research, academic publications, analysis, internal quality and processing validation control and as evidence of clinical practice.
  4. Charges and Payments
    1. Oncologica shall have no obligation whatsoever to the Patient until payment has been received in accordance with Clause 2.1 (a) or the authorisation code has been received in accordance with 2.1(b).
    2. All amounts payable by the Patient under the Contract are exclusive of value added tax. If any value-added tax is due on the all or part of the Charges, the Patient shall pay such value-added tax.
    3. Oncologica makes no warranty or representation that any third party, including any governmental healthcare program, will pay for the Oncologica Test.
    4. Oncologica may charge the Patient if the hospital charges a fee for retrieval of the Sample from the pathology archives.
  5. Data Protection
    1. The Patient hereby explicitly acknowledges that Oncologica shall collect its Personal Data within the Patient Test Request Form, from the Patient and/or Agent and otherwise when carrying out the Oncologica Test. The Patient hereby explicitly consents to the processing by Oncologica of its Personal Data in order to carry out the Oncologica Test, prepare the Oncologica Test Report and fulfil its obligations under the Contract.
    2. Oncologica shall comply with its obligations under the Data Protection Legislation in relation to a Patient’s Personal Data, and in particular, shall treat all Personal Data of a Patient as confidential and shall maintain appropriate technical and organizational measures against unauthorized or unlawful processing of Personal Data and against accidental loss or destruction of or damage to Personal Data.  If, in the unlikely event that Oncologica believes that the security of a Patients’ Personal Data in Oncologica’s possession or control may have been compromised, Oncologica may notify the Patient and shall use all reasonable endeavors to manage the situation and prevent further security compromises.
    3. Oncologica shall be entitled to disclose a Patient’s Personal Data to:
      (a) service providers and subcontractors, including affiliates, retained to perform functions on behalf of Oncologica, or to provide services such as delivery and collection of the Sample, payment and refund processing;
      (b) a person or entity, including affiliates, in the event of a sale, merger, consolidation or change of control of Oncologica; and
      (c) a court, governmental or regulatory agency, or other third party in order to comply with applicable law or to audit compliance with our corporate policies, procedures, legal, or contractual obligations.
    4. We will not transfer your personal data to any third parties unless we have your consent to do so and it is otherwise authorised under the Data Protection Legislation. Any such consent to a representative on your behalf receiving the Oncologica Test Report must be named by the Patient on the Consent Form.
  6. Liability – The patients attention is drawn particularly to this clause
    1. The Patient agrees that the Oncologica Test Report is intended for clinical use and interpretation by a physician who is experienced and skilled in the use and interpretation of clinical test data.  The Oncologica Test Report is based on the Sample submitted by the Patient. The Oncologica Test Report should not be considered or its contents applied to any other patient or any other sample. Oncologica does not update an Oncologica Test Report once it has been sent.
    2. The Oncologica Test Report contains drug and clinical trial information. However, Oncologica does not warrant or represent that any drug or clinical trial identified by the Oncologica Test will guarantee a therapeutic response for a Patient or the Patient will have access to any such drug or clinical trial. The drugs listed in an Oncologica Test Report are ranked on clinical evidence as to the predicted efficacy or appropriateness for the Patient.  The Patient shall ensure that its physician shall evaluate and interpret the Oncologica Test Report and investigate access to any drug or clinical trial identified by the Oncologica Test, along with all other available clinical information about the Patient, to determine the best treatment decisions in their own independent medical judgment. Patient management decisions should not be based on a single test, nor solely on the information contained in the Oncologica Test Report.
    3. Subject to paragraph 6.9, Oncologica shall have no liability for any use made of the information provided in the Oncologica Test Report, including but not limited to any report prepared by Oncologica summarising the results of the Oncologica Test, any advice supplied by Oncologica, any decisions taken, or for any costs incurred by Patient and/or the Patient’s physician and/or the Agent in consequence of such use, advice or decisions. The Oncologica Test and/or the Oncologica Test Report is not a substitute for the Patient’s physician’s professional judgment. The use of the information provided in the Oncologica Test Report is provided as a tool for the ordering physician’s use in determining the appropriate treatment for the Patient. The decision as to what course of treatment and the appropriate use of the information provided by the Oncologica Test Report is solely that of the Patient’s physician.
    4. Oncologica does not warrant or represent or guarantee that the Oncologica Test will identify an actionable genetic alteration that is linked to anti-cancer targeted therapies. Although the Oncologica Test are comprehensive, in a proportion of Patients, the Oncologica Test result may not identify any actionable mutations for a patients’ cancer.  In the event that no actionable alteration in the Sample is identified by the Oncologica Test, then the Patient is still under full obligation to pay the Charges and no refund is available to the Patient and/or Agent.
    5. The Oncologica Test identifies somatic genomic actionable alterations found in the submitted Sample that are linked to anti-cancer targeted agents. Also, note that this test only examines tumour, and not normal tissue from the patient, and therefore cannot distinguish between somatic and germline variants (those which are acquired sporadically rather than inherited from birth).
    6. Information compiled in the Oncologica Test Report includes data from publicly available sources as well as proprietary sources. By updating the source database, Oncologica makes every effort to provide the most accurate and up-to-date information to the best of Oncologica’s knowledge.
    7. Subject to Clause 6.9, Oncologica shall not be liable to the Patient whether in contract, tort (including negligence and breach of statutory duty), or otherwise for any:
      (a) error or defect in the Oncologica Test Report as a result of any inaccurate or incomplete information supplied by the Patient;
      (b) loss of data or materials, including the Sample and/or the Report and including any loss arising as a result of the acts or omissions of a courier;
      (c) indirect or consequential loss (including lost profits, loss of revenue or sales, loss of use, diminution of goodwill, business interruption or the like) arising whether or not Oncologica has been informed or advised of the possibility of such losses.
    8. Subject to the provisions of this Clause 6, Oncologica’s total liability to the Patient in respect of all losses arising under or in connection with the Contract, whether in contract, tort (including negligence and breach of statutory duty), or otherwise, shall in no circumstances exceed the Charges paid for the Oncologica Test that is the subject of the claim.
    9. Nothing in the Contract limits or excludes the liability of Oncologica for breach of its obligations under section 12 of the Sale of Goods Act 1979 and/or section 2 of the Supply of Goods and Services Act 1982; death or personal injury resulting from negligence; or fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation.
    10. If the Patient is a consumer (and not a business), then notwithstanding any other provisions of the Contract, none of the Patient’s consumer statutory rights are affected.
    11. The Patient expressly acknowledges and agrees that there is no right to cancel the Oncologica Test if the Sample has passed the pre-assessment stage to establish suitability for testing and the Sample has entered the processing stage.
    12. In the event of the unfortunate circumstances of the death of the Patient after the Sample has passed the pre-assessment stage then no refund will be possible. Only in the event that the Patient has named a representative to receive the report on their behalf on the Consent Form, will the report be sent to that named representative.
    13. If the Patient requests details of a Physician who may provide a second opinion on the Oncologica Test Report, (the Referral Physician), Oncologica may if applicable provide such contact details to the Patient and does not warrant or guarantee that such Referral Physician will provide a consultation to the Patient.  The decision as to what course of treatment and the appropriate use of the information provided by the Oncologica Test Report is solely that of the Referral Physician and the access to treatment or a clinical trial is solely that of the Referral Physician. The Patient expressly acknowledges and agrees that the Patient is responsible for contacting the Referral Physician and for organising the consultation and that Oncologica has no responsibility for the referral or outcome of the referral process.
  7. Force Majeure
    1. For the purposes of the Contract, Force Majeure Event means an event beyond the reasonable control of Oncologica including but not limited to strikes, lock-outs or other industrial disputes (whether involving the workforce of Oncologica or any other party), failure of a utility service or transport network, act of God, war, riot, civil commotion, malicious damage, compliance with any law or governmental order, rule, regulation or direction, accident, breakdown of plant or machinery, fire, flood, storm or default of suppliers or subcontractors.
    2. Oncologica shall not be liable to the Patient as a result of any delay or failure to perform its obligations under the Contract as a result of a Force Majeure Event.
    3. If the Force Majeure Event prevents Oncologica from carrying out the Oncologica Test for more than 4 weeks, Oncologica shall, without limiting its other rights or remedies, have the right to terminate the Contract immediately by giving written notice to the Patient.
  8. General
    1. Oncologica may at any time assign, transfer, mortgage, charge, subcontract or deal in any other manner with all or any of its rights under the Contract and may subcontract or delegate in any manner any or all of its obligations under the Contract to any third party or agent.
    2. If any provision or part-provision of the Contract is or becomes invalid, illegal or unenforceable, it shall be deemed modified to the minimum extent necessary to make it valid, legal and enforceable. If such modification is not possible, the relevant provision or part-provision shall be deemed deleted. Any modification to or deletion of a provision or part-provision under this clause shall not affect the validity and enforceability of the rest of the Contract.
    3. A waiver of any right under the Contract or law is only effective if it is in writing and shall not be deemed to be a waiver of any subsequent breach or default. No failure or delay by a party in exercising any right or remedy provided under the Contract or by law shall constitute a waiver of that or any other right or remedy, nor shall it prevent or restrict its further exercise of that or any other right or remedy. No single or partial exercise of such right or remedy shall prevent or restrict the further exercise of that or any other right or remedy.
    4. A person who is not a party to the Contract shall not have any rights to enforce its terms.
    5. The Contract, and any dispute or claim arising out of or in connection with it or its subject matter or formation (including non-contractual disputes or claims), shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with the law of England and Wales. Each party irrevocably agrees that the courts of England and Wales shall have exclusive jurisdiction to settle any dispute or claim arising out of or in connection with the Contract or its subject matter or formation (including non-contractual disputes or claims).
    6. We may amend these Terms and Conditions at any time to ensure that Oncologica remains compliant with relevant laws and regulations and to ensure that we are constantly improving your experience in using our services, so please ensure that you check our Terms and Conditions frequently. By continuing to use our services after any changes are made, you accept those changes and will be bound by them.

Last updated: Minfo013 V11 May 2022

Download Cancer Terms and Conditions

Dr David Fenelly

MD FRCPI ESMO

Former: Consultant Medical Oncologyst St Vincent’s University Hospital (SVUH); St Luke’s Hospital, National Maternity Hospital; St. Vincent’s Private Hospital; and Blackrock Clinic, Dublin; Member of International Advisory Board of Oneview Ltd. and Oneview Healthcare PLC; Member Director Centre for Colorectal Disease of SVUH;

Member of American Society of Clinical Oncology, European Society of Medical Oncology and Irish Society of Medical Oncology; Fellow of Royal College of Physicians; Formerly: Member of Breast and Gynaecological Cancer; Post Graduate Training from Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Centre.

Prof Umberto Tirelli

MD

Former: Consultant Medical Oncologyst National Cancer Institute Aviano; Specialist in Oncology, Hematology and Infectious Diseases; “Commendatore” of the Italian Republic, awarded by the President of the Republic for scientific merit; co-founder and VP of the Associazione Scientifica Galileo 2001; Member of the Technical Scientific Board (CTS) at Centro di Riferimento Oncologico (CRO) in Aviano, Istituto Nazionale Tumori; Assigned to the Scientific Council of AIN (Associazione Italiana Nucleare) on nuclear power; Former President of AIMAC (Cancer Patients Italian Association) and now part of the Scientific Council;

Formerly appointed by the Italian Minister of Health as member of the National Oncology Commission; Member of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO), the American Society of Hematology (ASH),and the International Immune-compromised Host Society (IHS); Member of the Scientific Committee of the AIOTE (Italian Association of oncology of the elderly);

Task Force Member (EORTC – European Org for Research and Treatment of Cancer) – Cancer in the elderly; Member of National Academy of Medicine for medical oncology (AIOM);  Environmental Comm. Committee mmber appointed by the Minister of the Environment.

Prof Daniele Generali

MD

Former: Consultant Medical Oncologyst, Azienda Istituti Ospitalieri, Cremona and Prof of Medical Oncology, Trieste Univ; Former Prof of Molecular Oncology, Institute of Molecular Medicine, Oxford Univ. Member of the Board of European Commission for initiative on Breast Cancer; Director of the Unit of Molecular Therapy and Pharmacogenomics, Azienda Istituti Ospitalieri, Cremona; Clinical Director of the Italian Red Cross, Cremona Section; Scientific Director of the Association of Research in Oncology Onlus, Cremona.

I would just like to thank you all for your help, support and professionalism this year, I contacted you after my recurrence of breast cancer, everything was explained to me in detail and I decided to go ahead with the test, I am so glad I did, every one I dealt with was so kind and encouraging, I was very scared about the journey ahead of me. The promptness of all the team was amazing my biopsy was collected quickly and I was contacted by Sarah constantly with updates on what was happening. As soon as the tests were completed I was sent the report with a follow up telephone call from the Doctor who talked me through it, he said he would be available to answer any further questions.

I showed the report to my hospital. Doctors and they were impressed with the information gathered and I am on the drugs recommended in my report and I have been really well with no side effects. Thank you all again.

I would like to pass not only my, but my father’s, gran’s and entire family and friends appreciation to not only Oncologica® but to you directly. Sarah, you went above and beyond what was expected, you took a personal interest and gave huge support. Your tone was always polite and you helped to listen to myself during the emotional moments when speaking. The hope you as a person gave and the encouragement, helped when I had to mount the challenge on behalf of my mother and father. Myself and my father agreed before taking to Oncologica® that as long as we tried all avenues and did everything we could for my late mother, this would be the only way we could coped.

Without yourself and Oncologica® we would not have been able to achieve the goal. My late mother took hope, encouragement and huge amounts of mental positively from the work but more importantly the personal touch you gave. As a person your indirect support helped my late mother. A person who didn’t praise health professionals easily due to career in the NHS and private sector. She praised you from the information, hope and personal feel you gave. You helped to give her peace of mind and know all options were looked into. I can’t sum up our, my feelings as they hold you in the highest regard. Perhaps, to say you have our eternal gratitude summons it all.

I just wanted to get in touch to thank you and the whole team at Oncologica® for the reports you did for my Dad. Despite a very poor prognosis, following the advice in the Oncologica® reports he has been receiving an immunotherapy drug under Dr Fennelly in St Vincent’s Hospital, Dublin, since the early spring and is now in much better health. The latest scans show a significant reduction in the size of the main tumour and a stagnation in the growth of secondary tumours. He is no longer in significant pain and is able to enjoy day to day life again. Thank you all for your hard work, we really appreciate it.

After being diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer my mothers only treatment option on the NHS was chemo therapy. The doctors gave her 6 months without treatment and only 9 with treatment but her quality of life would have been awful if undergoing chemo therapy.

After finding Oncologica® their help, advice and support have been second to none. Their ground breaking analysis and treatment options enabled my mother to undergo immunotherapy which has successfully reduced the size of her tumour and thankfully she is still with us over 2 years later. This would have not been possible without Oncologica®!

Without Oncologica® we do believe that my mother would no longer be with us but through them and their continued support she is still hear and enjoying her life with us and able to watch her grand children grow and play. We cannot thank Oncologica® enough for everything they have done and their continued support and cannot recommend them highly enough.” Many, many thanks from the whole family.

Karan Jensen was diagnosed in 2017, aged 48 with cervical cancer. Karan ordered the Oncofocus® Test to identify additional treatment options and shares her story here in the following Q&A.

How did your diagnosis come about?

I had been having regular smear tests, but then one came back with irregular cells and the doctor asked to see me in 6 months time. We were moving, so I delayed going back, but when I did get to the doctors, they ended up doing a biopsy. Within 2 weeks I was diagnosed with Stage 2B cervical cancer with lymph node involvement.

What happened after you were diagnosed?

Treatment was started to cure my cancer. I had four cycles of chemotherapy plus 32 sessions of radiotherapy.

Did this treatment work?

Unfortunately, the tumour did not change with this type of chemotherapy, so I then started on alternative therapies.

Did the second round of treatment work?

I was meant to have six sessions of this chemotherapy, but after three, I had a scan and found out that the tumour had grown. I was told that there was no point continuing treatment as my cancer was incurable, and to go home and get things in order.

Did you experience any side effects of chemotherapy?

During chemotherapy, I was hospitalised four times with infections and neutropenic sepsis. The chemotherapy also caused swelling of my legs (lymphoedema), and my kidneys had been damaged so that I had to have a nephrostomy bag attached to collect urine.

How did you feel when they told you that you cancer was incurable?

I have an 11-year-old son, so I was not going to give up and did some research online on the best treatments for my cancer.

What did you find searching online?

I found out about the Oncofocus®® cancer test by Oncologica® on their website and got in touch.

Was it easy getting the Oncofocus® test done?

It cost £2000 but it was an easy decision to make. I just had to fill in a few forms and Oncologica® did all the work to get the biopsy from my hospital.

What were the results of the Oncofocus® test?

The test quickly came back that my tumour was exceptionally high in a protein called PD-L1, so it would respond really well to immunotherapy, which works by boosting a person’s immune system to help it recognise and fight cancer cells.

What happened when you knew the results of the test?

The treatment that the test recommended was not available on the NHS so my oncologist contacted Christie Hospital in Manchester, which was part of the PROCLAIM-CX-072 clinical trial that is investigating an experimental drug that targets PD-L1.
I was very sick at this stage, and the doctors were not sure that I would be well enough to get into the trial. As my levels of PD-L1 were so high, however, they thought they had to give me the opportunity.

Was this new treatment successful?

I was meant to have four sessions of CX-072 plus ipilumumab every 3 weeks, plus CX-072 maintenance therapy for a year. Although the treatment was not as bad as chemotherapy and I did not lose any hair, it still made me feel very poorly. After the third session, I developed a bad reaction and the level of some of my white blood cells that fight infection, neutrophils, plummeted and could not be restored to normal. It was therefore too risky to continue the treatment.
The good news was that a scan in March this year showed that the new therapy had reduced the tumour by 50%.

Are you still receiving treatment?

Even though the treatment has stopped, my immune system has taken over and is fighting the tumour. I am scanned every 2 months, and every time my tumour reduces by a further 0.5% to 1%. Last week I had another scan, and it had reduced by 3% and I feel better today than I have over the past 3 years.

What are your thoughts on the Oncofocus® test?

If I had had the test before receiving chemotherapy, this would have saved the NHS a load of money giving me a treatment that did not work and putting me through so much. I continue to need a nephrostomy bag due to the damage done by chemotherapy, which needs changing once a week and the tubes replaced in hospital every 3 months.

What is happening now?

We are now at the ‘watch and wait’ stage. However, as I have had such a good response to the immunotherapy and feel so much better, I can have more treatment if needed in the future. The swelling in my leg has gone down and I can now wear my shoes and move around normally again. I was so sick that I did not think that I would see last Christmas. Now I will get to experience Christmas again this year.

Prof Giovanni Palazzoni

MD

Former Manager of the Centre for antiblastic drug (UFA) preparation, he has delivered ECM courses for nursing staff involved in antiblastic drugs, provided expertise on linear accelerators use and fissile material implants, he has managed a chemotherapy day hospital, Cobalt therapy plant and chemotherapy, biohazard drugs and vaccines which can potentially be fatal. He has managed partially inactivated pathogens, oncological radiotherapy, manipulated antineoplastic agents, run clinical physics lab simulations and managed the digital image processing for therapeutic planning at the Columbus Integrated Complex Gemelli and University Polyclinic Foundation.  He was also an editor of the bestselling book "Seno Buono Seno Cattivo" ie Good Breasts-Bad Breasts in art, illness, and reconstructive surgery.

I was diagnosed with terminal bowel cancer in March 2018. I started radiotherapy, which worked well. The tumour then started to cause a build up of fluid in my abdomen, which chemotherapy helped to reduce. However, when the first line chemotherapy stopped working after 5 months and then the second line chemotherapy failed to work at all, the fluid returned and I had two stays in hospital to help drain it.

Having exhausted standard therapy and become bedbound, I found out about the Oncofocus® Test from an online search. The overall process from submitting the form to Test results was easy and rapid. The company called to talk me through the process and to explain the results of the Test, and also took care of the logistics of collecting the sample from the hospital. It turned out that I have a rare cancer mutation and was lucky to have had a response at all to the initial chemotherapy.

I had a remarkably effective and rapid response to the drugs that the Test recommended for my cancer mutation. After just 2 weeks of treatment, my abdomen returned to normal size. After 4 weeks of treatment, I was swimming, walking and fully enjoying all that life has to offer again. I am truly grateful for the significant improvement in quality of life I experienced, especially as I had no side effects from the new drugs. The extra months that this gave me meant that I had further quality time with my family and could prepare them better for life without me.

A father of two with terminal cancer has been given new hope after being offered a free pioneering test to help find alternative treatments.

Mick Weldon, 38, from Cambourne, has a rare form of stomach cancer which is resistant to conventional forms of treatment.

In April, the News reported on Mick’s efforts to crowdfund enough money to cover the cost of analysis of new treatments.

After reading his story, Cambridge-based research company Oncologica® approached Mick to offer a ground-breaking test for free.

Mick was first admitted to hospital in December 2015 with a suspected ruptured ulcer, only to be later diagnosed with a cancer that had spread to his abdomen, liver, and surrounding organs.

Doctors found that Mick had a rare subset of Stage 4 GIST stomach cancer called wild type SDH deficient, which is incurable, but could be held at bay by new drugs.

Normally costing around £1,500, Mick under went an Oncofocus® test, which has been developed to detect every mutation linked to every drug and applicable to all tumour types.

Oncologica® claim that the test can identify specific treatment options in 85 to 90 per cent of patients.

Mick’s results show that a certain protein, PDL-1, expressed by his tumours, was acting as a ‘cloaking agent’ and effectively hiding the tumour from his immune system.

He now hopes his crowdfunding efforts will help to finance three cycles of anti-PDL-1 drugs.

“I’ve gone from having no options to a lot of options,” he said. “I’m amazingly positive. I’ve gone from a place where I had no hope to where I have a viable option. We’re all really upbeat.”

Mick hopes new treatments will give him more time to spend with his wife Emma and daughters Charlie, 17, and Rebecca, 15.

He previously said: “No one prepares for their own death, no wife wants to stand by and watch her once proud strong husband slowly degrade, and I can’t even begin to imagine how hard it must be for two beautiful young ladies to watch the father they have looked up to for as long as they have known slowly slip away.”

If Mick is able to secure the funding for his three cycles of drugs he hopes the evidence gathered will benefit other cancer patients.

“The NHS needs evidence,” he said. “We have to prove these drugs are viable.”

“I’d like to be in a position to start up a database where people can find this information where people can look up their options.”

He also remains realistic about how any new drugs will help his condition, but very thankful to the support of Oncologica®.

“Even if this fails, at least something is being done and I’m not just waiting to die,” Mick said.

“[Oncologica®] are absolutely amazing people. It buoyed me up. Until that point I was coming to the end of conventional treatment.”

Dr Marco Loddo, co-founder and scientific director at Oncologica®, said: “We saw the article and learnt about Mick’s story and in particular that his tumour type was quite rare and found out that he had exhausted all treatment options on the NHS.

“We hoped that we might be able to help with our tests. We’re happy to help.”

Oncologica® is a precision oncology services laboratory and contract research organisation founded in 2014.

Its Oncofocus® test aims to help encourage a move away from toxic non-specific cancer treatments to the use of the new generation of biological anti-cancer agents called targeted therapies.

Targeted therapies specifically hit cancer cells and not the normal cells of the body. They are said to be more effective than chemotherapy because patients are spared severe toxic side effects such as hair loss, infections, anaemia, gut toxicity and fatigue.

Professor Gareth Williams, co-founder and medical director, said: “What we are doing is to optimise the treatment pathway to provide a roadmap and that can have huge benefits for patients. You can avoid all the toxicity issues.”

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