Inspired to Treat Cancer
One Patient at a Time

St.Vincent and the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute are proud to announce an exciting new partnership to perform state-of-the-art cancer research called "Total Cancer Care™." We have joined with our affiliates to do something that we believe is creating a new frontier in cancer research. And as a patient who knows first hand how cancer can affect one’s life, this is your chance to help.

Did you know that every individual is different with a different fingerprint, and that every tumor is unique as well? While we know cancer can be classified by its site of origin (lung, breast, colon, prostate), there are, in fact, many different types of each of these cancers.

Currently, we treat most cancer patients with the standard protocol—but in reality, only a few patients may benefit from that specific drug. We now know that individual patients with the same kind of cancer don’t always respond to standard treatment for that cancer in the same way.

Along with doctors at the Moffitt Cancer Center, St.Vincent doctors would like to change that. Only recently has technology advanced such that we can now test each tumor for approximately 30,000 genes. These genes provide a "molecular" fingerprint that is unique for each tumor just like the lines on your fingertips uniquely identify you. By studying this "molecular" fingerprint, scientists will eventually develop new drug therapies that are personalized for each individual. You can now be a part of this research project that will occur across the entire country and beyond.

How Does Total Cancer Care Work?

The study will involve asking thousands of patients, like you, some survey questions as well as collecting samples of tumor tissue. Here’s how the study works.

• Information is gathered about the patient's medical history—generally during regular visits with his or her doctor.
• If a biopsy is recommended, a portion of tissue removed from any biopsy is submitted for research.
• If surgery is needed, we ask permission from the patient to study the excess cancer tissue that is removed. Cancer tissue removed during surgery normally is discarded.

Why participate in Total Cancer Care?

Someday, you or others participating in this research may need drug therapy to treat your disease. Should this occur, we would want to use gene-based technology to try to find the best new drug for you. If a promising clinical trial or new drug associated with that trial is available that may be of benefit to you, we will request permission to contact you in the future with this information.

You may also help others with cancer by participating in this research. It takes thousands of individual participants like you to make Total Cancer Care™ work.

There are no extra doctor visits and there are no additional expenses associated with the Total Cancer Care™ research project. In accordance with HIPAA regulations, your medical information will remain private.

How do I participate in Total Cancer Care™?

• A small investment in time is all it takes to become a participant in Total Cancer Care™.
  Consider spending an extra 60 minutes when you visit your physician for your pre-operative or pre-biopsy lab tests to answer a few survey questions about your medical history.
• If this is the first time you have heard about Total Cancer Care™, please ask your doctor about it during your clinic visit.
• Patients can elect to withdraw from the study at any time; however, we would like to follow you for life. If you decide to relocate and wish to continue in the TCC study, please provide your physician with your changes of address.

For more information about the Total Cancer Care™ research study, ask your doctor. For other questions please call the Cancer Answers at (800) 456-7121.