The Colon Club

I did a search and found this thread http://coloncancersupport.colonclub.com/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=15035&p=117763&hilit=theraguide#p117763, but have more questions.

This is the test I'm asking about: http://www.myriad.com/products/theraguide-5-fu/

TheraGuide® 5-FU: Personalized Medicine for Customized Chemotherapy
TheraGuide® 5-FU is a blood test that enables physicians to customize chemotherapy and take action to minimize side effects.

Have you had the Theraguide 5FU testing done? My husband tends to have harsh reactions to chemos, including Xeloda, and the doctor is recommending this prior to trying a new chemo regime. The test is not covered by his insurance, and is expensive (nearly $1200.). I'm wondering what experiences other CCers have had with the test?

Thanks!

Dear Patience,
It would be very hard to comment without any information posted in the signature line, I like sunbeams too. My onc did a lot of expensive tests, that were not to my actual benefit. His fellows were well compensated, until I changed oncs. My bills went down nearly 75%, when I switched oncs. I am not saying you should do the same, but protocols do affect people differently. Many people get along well with Xeloda, and some do not handle it very well. I know Pete, Hart to Hart's husband, ended up in the hospital with Xeloda, and had to quit chemo for a couple of months. He started 5FU, and completed his rounds. I had a test made by my first oncologist after surgery. According to him, I needed Oxiloplatin, 5 FU, Ironotican, and Erbitux to stay alive after surgery and radiation. I figured as I had very little problems with FOLFOX, and he was a cancer foundation president, he was going to find out how far he could push me, before I finally had major side effects. This forum, after many nights and weekends of study, made me realize this guy was not for real. I switched oncs, and did 12 weeks of 5FU. I had an infusion every Friday (actually a push of 5FU and a push of leukovorin) that lasted 10 minutes. I did have blood drawn, and since I was low on iron, I had an iron infusion, making my session on Fridays, 1/1/2 hours. I had 6 weeks of that, 2 weeks off, and 6 more weeks. 5FU never caused me any problems whatsoever, except nearing the end I did experience diarrhea. My last chemo was about 1 year ago today, and I just had a CT. I am still cancer free, without the chemo cocktail my first onc wanted to kill me with
Regards,
Michael

Justin, thanks for taking the time to respond, I always appreciate input.

To try to rephrase my question, its not about chemos and possible reactions, success, etc, but instead specifically about if anyone has had the Theraguide 5FU testing, and what commentary could they offer about it?

Thanks! So far, nobody has mentioned they've done Theraguide 5FU. Perhaps it is hardly used?

My apologies I hope are accepted. Most tests regarding chemo effectiveness are taken from the samples removed during surgery, and can be a very expensive endeavor. I think you just caught me in a rant about tests made by oncs who get kickbacks, and write it off to your good insurance, so you can keep paying for years to come. No, I cannot say I have had this test, but it might be hidden in there somewhere
Regards,
Michael

MIchael, all's well with your post, I know you were trying to help. The Theraguide 5FU is not covered by all insurances (they say some cover it, but I don't know who, it's not Medicare nor a Medicare secondary). You have to come up with a large pre-payment if your insurance does not cover it, with special signed forms, so that gives many a heads up that it is possibly a "patient pays" test.

Learning more as I go, come to find out that there are more than one lab that test for Fluorouracil toxicity.

5-fluorouracil (5-FU, brand name Adrucil ®; also sometimes prescribed in a different form called capecitabine/Xeloda ®) is a chemotherapy drug used to treat several types of cancer, including colorectal, breast, esophageal and stomach. Although the drug is very effective, there is a downside: about 30% of people receiving this therapy suffer from serious and sometimes deadly toxicity.

https://www.23andme.com/health/fluorouracil/

So, I should expand my question to if anyone has done any testing for Fluorouracil toxicity? (Not just specifically Theraguide)

Patience wrote:Learning more as I go, come to find out that there are more than one lab that test for Fluorouracil toxicity.

5-fluorouracil (5-FU, brand name Adrucil ®; also sometimes prescribed in a different form called capecitabine/Xeloda ®) is a chemotherapy drug used to treat several types of cancer, including colorectal, breast, esophageal and stomach. Although the drug is very effective, there is a downside: about 30% of people receiving this therapy suffer from serious and sometimes deadly toxicity.

https://www.23andme.com/health/fluorouracil/

So, I should expand my question to if anyone has done any testing for Fluorouracil toxicity? (Not just specifically Theraguide)

Just so you know, there is a topical solution that treats skin cancer
Regards,
Michael

Hi Michael, I think you maybe meant your last post for a different thread? (Or, I've skipped a beat...)

Patience,
Heres a thought that may help. I posted about this last week. Fight colorectal cancer.org have a webinar tomorrow night re molecular and tumor testing, it might help to listen to and there is availability for questions, but usually so many yours may or may not be asked. You have to sign up in advance
My husband had genetic testing done by myriad, covered by insurance and molecaular testing done by caris institute covered by insurance

Patience, I realised I just said that webinar was tomorrow night, its actually wed night, oops sorry!

Patience, I know what you mean because some people do not process 5FU properly and some have died because of it. I don't however know of anyone on here that had the test done to see if it was toxic for them. I had no idea it was 30% of people who could not tolerate it. That would seem to me to indicate that everyone should have this test done before they begin taking it. One out of three people, wow.

Update: The 5FU was taken off the table due to the previous problems with Xeloda. The testing folks said that if there were problems with Xeloda, even if the test came back "ok", it would not mean that all would be fine. The test only catches a percentage of the folks who will have problems. There can be many other reasons for a problem besides what the test would identify.

I haven't had any testing but I haven't had any bad reactions either