20/20 GeneSystems, Inc., which developed OneTest™, is not licensed or able to provide medical advice to individuals who have taken this test.  Only a physician or other qualified medical professional can do so.   However, to help educate medical practitioners unfamiliar with the use of these biomarkers for cancer screening, including most American doctors, we can  make available physicians from East Asia to respond to queries from their U.S. counterparts regarding ambiguous or confusing clinical cases. 

In clinics around the world that routinely use blood tests to screen for various cancers, there are generally three courses of action following the tests:

Normal Results: No immediate follow-up.  Repeat blood test again in about one year.  

Peer-reviewed studies have suggested that comparing changes to biomarker values on an at least yearly basis substantially improves detection of various tumor types including ovarian, pancreatic, and colon cancers. 

Ambiguous Results: Repeat blood test at roughly two 30 to 40-day intervals.

One of the world’s most widely recognized experts in tumor markers, Rafael Molina, M.D., who is the longstanding Chairman of both the International Society of Oncology and Biomarkers and the European Group on Tumor Markers, offers the following “rule of thumb” for sequential testing: 

“An isolated finding of high levels of any tumor marker is of limited value. When there are doubts regarding a result, two or three sequential measurements should be carried out at intervals of more than its plasma half-life (15-20 days for the majority of tumor markers). If the tumor marker values show a continuous increase over the period (above the normal level), it can be concluded with a high level of probability that it is of malignant origin, as it reflects the growth of tumor. Conversely, if the serum level does not change or show a downward trend, the origin should be sought in another non-malignant condition.” (R. Molina, 2013, Clinical Value of Tumor Markers, Roche Diagnostics)

Repeat testing of high biomarkers may be covered by some insurance plans depending on the way it is ordered by the physician.   We offer substantial discounts for repeat testing at intervals less than yearly.   

Abnormal Results: Follow-up with medical specialist for additional testing.

The specific biomarkers that are elevated will give clinicians some insight into organs or organ systems that may require further work-up.  (Subsequent versions of OneTest™ may offer algorithm generated organ specific cancer likelihood scores.)   Usually some form of imaging such as ultrasound, CT, etc. follows abnormal biomarker findings.