Objective data that deliver answers
The Tissue of Origin Test uses a combination of microarray technology and advanced analytics to measure the gene expression patterns (comprising more than 2,000 genes) of challenging tumors, including metastatic, poorly differentiated, and undifferentiated cancer. These data are compared with the gene expression patterns of a panel of 15 known tissue types—representing 58 morphologies and covering 90% of solid tumors—in order to identify the tumor.
The science behind the test: The Tissue of Origin Test, offered by the Pathwork Diagnostics Laboratory Service, is supported by extensive analytical and clinical validation data from robust, multi-center clinical studies. The results of these studies are meaningful because they highlight not only the accuracy of the results, but also their consistency.
Pathwork has developed unique processes that enable the company to bring microarray data from the realm of research into practical daily clinical use—solving critical technological challenges such as:
- Obtaining meaningful and easy-to-interpret information from highly complex data sets
- Working with heterogeneous tissues that include variable amounts of tumor
- Developing the ability to work with FFPE tissue specimens that contain degraded RNA
- Normalizing gene expression patterns for consistency across different instruments with different operators
- Incorporating reliable and effective data quality control processes
- Providing the combination of microarray, instrumentation, and informatics in a reliable system that ensures diagnostic-quality data every time
Learn more about our core microarray technology.
View Indications for Use and Limitations.