When and how the test is performed

The FDA-cleared Pathwork Tissue of Origin Test can be ordered whenever cells obtained in a biopsy are not easy to identify right away.

Like other types of diagnostic tests, the Tissue of Origin Test requires a small sample of the tumor to be identified. This sample is obtained either during surgery or as a separate biopsy procedure. The tumor tissue is fixed in formalin and then preserved in paraffin. The sample is then sent to the Pathwork Diagnostics laboratory, where it is processed and analyzed.

The information from the analysis is provided to the physician in a report that helps to rule in or rule out different tumor types.