Total Cancer Care®

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WHAT IT IS

Moffitt Total Cancer Care® is a comprehensive approach to cancer care. It is designed to enable researchers and caregivers to identify and meet all the needs of a patient and his or her family during the patient’s lifetime and for future generations. The approach addresses cancer as a public health issue and takes a holistic approach by encompassing all aspects of the disease, including prevention, the study of genetic predispositions, the impact of health lifestyles and integrative medicine. Additionally, the goal of this approach to cancer care is to provide the right treatment for the right patient.

Whether discovering biomarkers for identifying patients at risk or who are appropriate for specific therapies, or discovering cellular targets for engineering new cancer drugs, or offering patients the latest treatment information via the Moffitt Patient Portal to provide them the best known options, the Total Cancer Care® initiative is, first and foremost, about the patient.

The Total Cancer Care® Study is Moffitt’s national research protocol open at Moffitt and at participating Total Cancer Care® Consortium sites throughout Florida and in other states. The study is a partnership among patients, doctors and researchers working to advance cancer care by maintaining a repository of human tissue specimens and clinical data.

HOW IT WORKS

The study will involve asking thousands of patients like you some survey questions, as well as collecting samples of blood, urine and 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.
Blood tests and/or urine tests will be ordered for research purposes.

Watch a video of Shane Huntsman, director of M2Gen’s Biorepository Services, describing how M2Gen supports Total Cancer Care®.

PARTICIPATION

A small investment in time is all it takes to become a participant in Total Cancer Care®. Consider spending an extra 15 minutes when you visit your physician for your pre-biopsy lab tests to answer a few 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 Total Cancer Care® study, please provide your physician with your change of address.

For more information about the Total Cancer Care® research study, ask your doctor at the Moffitt Cancer Center.

For other questions, please call Cancer Answers at 1-800-456-7121.