Originally published on Illumina News Center

Eight years ago, AJ Patel was diagnosed with advanced lung cancer. The Southern California resident and father of three had tumor masses in both lungs. AJ’s doctor told him that if he didn’t do anything, he would have just six months to live. But fortunately, AJ met a physician who recommended he ask about biomarker testing, an approach that uses next-generation sequencing to determine an individual’s cancer-causing genes and other markers. When the causal genetic alteration is identified through testing, a patient can be eligible for more personalized therapies or beneficial clinical trials. For AJ, biomarker testing led to a targeted therapy plan—and it is the reason he is standing here today, telling his story.

It’s stories like AJ’s that inspire us to keep innovating in precision medicine, and continue expanding access to our technology so that all patients may benefit.

At Illumina, we are committed to leveraging the power of genomics to drive personalized medicine and positively impact human health. Illumina invests deeply in research and is developing in vitro diagnostic (IVD) tests that have the potential to improve the patient’s therapy journey and outcomes. The ultimate goal is for these tests to become accessible to all.

February 4 is World Cancer Day, an opportunity to honor cancer patients and survivors as well as recognize the efforts of researchers, oncologists, pathologists, and other professionals around the world working to transform testing and care to ultimately put an end to cancer.

We are touched by AJ’s story and want to enable many other cancer patients to have similar stories. Share your stories with us on Twitter using the hashtag #WorldCancerDay and #CloseTheCareGap.

To read about comprehensive genomic profiling, click here.

AJ was not tested using an Illumina diagnostic test. He is sharing his story as a testimonial of the potential benefits of biomarker testing though comprehensive genomic profiling (CGP). One person’s experience is not predictive of results in other CGP cases, which may differ based on a variety of factors. Results in other cases may vary.

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Illumina

Illumina is improving human health by unlocking the power of the genome. Our focus on innovation has established us as the global leader in DNA sequencing and array-based technologies, serving customers in the research, clinical, and applied markets. Our products are used for applications in the life sciences, oncology, reproductive health, agriculture, and other emerging segments. 

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