National Campaign to Support Stomach Cancer Patients' Treatment

Test Your Biomarkers, a national education and awareness campaign, has launched to coincide with World Cancer Day. The initiative aims to educate patients and caregivers about the importance of biomarker testing in treating stomach cancer. By empowering patients to advocate for themselves and discuss biomarker testing with their doctors, the campaign seeks to save and extend lives.

“Test first. Because the best treatment for your stomach cancer is personalized,” as an American Cancer Institute member says. The campaign has brought together researchers, oncologists, patients, caregivers, advocacy groups, and pharmaceutical companies to provide up-to-date information about biomarker testing and ensure every patient understands its significance.

Real-life examples highlight the importance of biomarker testing. For instance, Javier Florez, diagnosed with Stage IV metastatic stomach cancer, underwent testing to reveal that his cancer was HER2 positive. He received personalized treatment and is now a stomach cancer survivor. Lauren Donithan, after years of misdiagnosis, was diagnosed with Stage IV gastric cancer. Biomarker testing enabled her to undergo individualized treatments that are extending her life. Both Javier and Lauren’s experiences underscore the impact of biomarker testing in creating better patient outcomes.

The campaign’s ultimate goal is to make biomarker testing a standard part of the diagnosis process for every stomach cancer patient. Key to this is the testyourbiomarkers.org website, which provides important information about biomarker testing, including FAQs, patient stories and videos. Patients can also download a script to bring to their next doctor visit, empowering them to advocate for, and gain access to, relevant tests.

Test Your Biomarkers has brought together leading researchers, oncologists, pharmaceutical companies, and advocacy groups to prioritize timely biomarker testing for stomach cancer patients. With a collaborative and focused approach, the initiative is addressing the pressing need for widespread adoption of biomarker testing for stomach cancer diagnosis. The support of these collective efforts ensures that every patient receives personalized and effective care from the outset.

Test Your Biomarkers is supported by a dedicated Medical Advisory Committee including leading names. Founding Supporters of the initiative are esteemed organizations. A coalition of advocacy groups is also committed to the cause, with the ambition to provide newly diagnosed stomach cancer patients with accurate, current, and informative biomarker information.