Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Welcome to our FAQ section. Here you'll find detailed answers to the most common questions about Astron Health's personalized cancer research reports, our AI-powered analysis process, molecular testing requirements, report timelines, and how we help clinicians deliver truly personalized precision oncology care. Whether you're new to Astron or looking for specific information about our services, this resource is designed to provide clarity on how our approach complements your primary care and empowers you to make more informed treatment decisions for your patients.
What is Astron Health?
Astron is your AI-powered cancer research partner, dedicated to finding treatments that complement your primary care. By harnessing advanced research and bioinformatics, we generate personalized Astron research reports that empower practices to deliver truly personalized precision oncology by matching targeted treatment options to the unique drivers of each patient’s cancer.
We move beyond the traditional one-size-fits-all approach by using existing molecular tests to identify targeted, actionable treatment options for every patient.Astron supports patients at any stage of cancer, from initial diagnosis through to later stages of the disease.
We move beyond the traditional one-size-fits-all approach by using existing molecular tests to identify targeted, actionable treatment options for every patient.Astron supports patients at any stage of cancer, from initial diagnosis through to later stages of the disease.
How does Astron Health work?
We use a three-step approach to transform complex genomic data into actionable treatment plans:
Step 1: Identify Your Cancer's Genetic Drivers
We analyse genomic testing to identify the unique genetic drivers of your cancer. If you've already completed genomic testing, we can seamlessly incorporate your existing data. If not, we'll coordinate testing to capture the full landscape of your cancer's vulnerabilities.
Step 2: Research and Analysis
We perform an exhaustive review of all relevant, peer-reviewed research tied to your specific cancer drivers. Using advanced bioinformatics and our bespoke AI machine learning model, we systematically rank potential interventions, prioritizing those with the strongest evidence and best tolerability. This process allows us to evaluate thousands of gene mutations and hundreds of therapeutic options, including safe, evidence-based repurposed medications and supplements that traditional oncology may overlook.
Step 3: Your Personalized Report
Our findings are synthesized into the Astron Research Report, a personalized, actionable roadmap for your cancer treatment. The report is reviewed by an oncologist who interprets the results in the context of your unique treatment history and develops a tailored protocol. If you don't have a referring clinician, we'll connect you with a trusted partner to guide your care.By transforming complex genomic data into clear, actionable insights, we make precision oncology a reality, delivering hope and new possibilities for patients today.
Step 1: Identify Your Cancer's Genetic Drivers
We analyse genomic testing to identify the unique genetic drivers of your cancer. If you've already completed genomic testing, we can seamlessly incorporate your existing data. If not, we'll coordinate testing to capture the full landscape of your cancer's vulnerabilities.
Step 2: Research and Analysis
We perform an exhaustive review of all relevant, peer-reviewed research tied to your specific cancer drivers. Using advanced bioinformatics and our bespoke AI machine learning model, we systematically rank potential interventions, prioritizing those with the strongest evidence and best tolerability. This process allows us to evaluate thousands of gene mutations and hundreds of therapeutic options, including safe, evidence-based repurposed medications and supplements that traditional oncology may overlook.
Step 3: Your Personalized Report
Our findings are synthesized into the Astron Research Report, a personalized, actionable roadmap for your cancer treatment. The report is reviewed by an oncologist who interprets the results in the context of your unique treatment history and develops a tailored protocol. If you don't have a referring clinician, we'll connect you with a trusted partner to guide your care.By transforming complex genomic data into clear, actionable insights, we make precision oncology a reality, delivering hope and new possibilities for patients today.
What are the benefits to patients?
Personalized Molecular Analysis
We analyze your individual molecular profile at a multi-omics level, identifying and examining your case's unique vulnerabilities to create a truly personalized treatment approach.
More Evidence-Based Treatment Options
Access research-backed repurposed drugs and supplement suggestions that complement standard care, ensuring more targeted and safer treatment options. These therapies have the potential to significantly improve outcomes, reduce recurrence, and slow overall disease progression.
Enhanced Safety and Focus
Understanding your disease and the specific factors driving it helps you focus on what matters most. Our approach eliminates the need to try every potential treatment option—a process that can often be unsafe, overwhelming, and unsustainable.
Streamline Your Current Protocol
By utilizing the findings in the Astron Research Report, you can streamline your protocol to the most well-evidenced interventions. Take only what targets your specific molecular vulnerabilities instead of a multitude of different pills and interventions. This approach reduces confusion, eliminates unnecessary treatments, and can save significant costs.
We analyze your individual molecular profile at a multi-omics level, identifying and examining your case's unique vulnerabilities to create a truly personalized treatment approach.
More Evidence-Based Treatment Options
Access research-backed repurposed drugs and supplement suggestions that complement standard care, ensuring more targeted and safer treatment options. These therapies have the potential to significantly improve outcomes, reduce recurrence, and slow overall disease progression.
Enhanced Safety and Focus
Understanding your disease and the specific factors driving it helps you focus on what matters most. Our approach eliminates the need to try every potential treatment option—a process that can often be unsafe, overwhelming, and unsustainable.
Streamline Your Current Protocol
By utilizing the findings in the Astron Research Report, you can streamline your protocol to the most well-evidenced interventions. Take only what targets your specific molecular vulnerabilities instead of a multitude of different pills and interventions. This approach reduces confusion, eliminates unnecessary treatments, and can save significant costs.
What current research is Astron Health carrying out?
We're building a comprehensive longitudinal clinical registry to track molecular profiles, therapeutic interventions, and patient outcomes. This data-driven approach will allow us to analyze personalized treatment strategies, acting as a hypothesis generation mechanism to advance modern oncology research.We are also establishing a registry study planned for 2026 in partnership with the University of Birmingham NHS Trust, one of the largest pancreatic research centers in Europe.Astron Health is intervention-agnostic and only highlights the most well-evidenced interventions.
What interventions does Astron Health identify?
Astron Health is intervention-agnostic and only highlights the most well-evidenced interventions. Most of our targeted research insights fall into the following categories:
1) Conventional cancer treatments
2) Repurposed drugs
3) Evidence-based supplements
4) Lifestyle interventions
Each personalized treatment option is rigorously validated through peer-reviewed studies and patient-specific clinical data, ensuring the highest standards of safety and efficacy. Our analysis includes treatment suggestions that target vulnerabilities directly or through their synthetic lethal pairs, with each suggestion meeting strict binding energy thresholds for maximal impact. While the final prescribing authority always remains with the patient's practitioner, Astron Health serves as a powerful decision-support tool, empowering clinicians with evidence-based insights to make informed treatment decisions.
1) Conventional cancer treatments
2) Repurposed drugs
3) Evidence-based supplements
4) Lifestyle interventions
Each personalized treatment option is rigorously validated through peer-reviewed studies and patient-specific clinical data, ensuring the highest standards of safety and efficacy. Our analysis includes treatment suggestions that target vulnerabilities directly or through their synthetic lethal pairs, with each suggestion meeting strict binding energy thresholds for maximal impact. While the final prescribing authority always remains with the patient's practitioner, Astron Health serves as a powerful decision-support tool, empowering clinicians with evidence-based insights to make informed treatment decisions.
How long will it take to get my report? - Process Timeline
1. Payment, Document Submission & Eligibility Check (1 Working Day)
Patients can schedule a free consultation with our science team (optional). They then create an account, submit payment, and upload relevant documents. Our science team conducts a 24-hour eligibility review following document submission.
2. Additional Molecular Testing (if required) (3-4 Weeks Total)
Testing varies by region. In the US, your clinician will need to organize the relevant molecular testing for your report. Outside the US, after enrollment is completed, you can complete an order form through the Astron Health platform.Regardless of region, the contracted testing provider collects blood samples through a mobile phlebotomist and will also arrange to collect tissue samples from any relevant labs and clinics. These testing providers typically generate their molecular report within three weeks of receiving the sample.
3. Astron Report Generation (7-10 Working Days)
Once we receive the molecular report (from our testing partner or directly from the patient), we generate and share the final Astron Report within seven to ten working days.
4. Access to the Astron Report
Due to legal requirements, Astron Reports are delivered exclusively to referring clinicians, not directly to patients. An appointment will then need to be organized with the clinic, where the clinician will create a treatment protocol based on the findings of the report.
Patients can schedule a free consultation with our science team (optional). They then create an account, submit payment, and upload relevant documents. Our science team conducts a 24-hour eligibility review following document submission.
2. Additional Molecular Testing (if required) (3-4 Weeks Total)
Testing varies by region. In the US, your clinician will need to organize the relevant molecular testing for your report. Outside the US, after enrollment is completed, you can complete an order form through the Astron Health platform.Regardless of region, the contracted testing provider collects blood samples through a mobile phlebotomist and will also arrange to collect tissue samples from any relevant labs and clinics. These testing providers typically generate their molecular report within three weeks of receiving the sample.
3. Astron Report Generation (7-10 Working Days)
Once we receive the molecular report (from our testing partner or directly from the patient), we generate and share the final Astron Report within seven to ten working days.
4. Access to the Astron Report
Due to legal requirements, Astron Reports are delivered exclusively to referring clinicians, not directly to patients. An appointment will then need to be organized with the clinic, where the clinician will create a treatment protocol based on the findings of the report.
How does Astron integrate with my current treatment plan?
All treatment options in the Astron Research Report are designed to be adjunctive for patients, meaning they can safely complement their primary care at any stage of treatment.
Whether you're undergoing chemotherapy, immunotherapy, or another approach, the report works in harmony with existing care. If you're not currently receiving primary treatment, the recommendations can still offer valuable, evidence-based options that may be used independently.
We send the report directly to your prescribing clinician and care team for easy integration. If you aren't able to act as a prescribing clinician, Astron partners with a global network of expert practitioners who can interpret and apply the report's insights, so you're never without support or a clear path forward.
Whether you're undergoing chemotherapy, immunotherapy, or another approach, the report works in harmony with existing care. If you're not currently receiving primary treatment, the recommendations can still offer valuable, evidence-based options that may be used independently.
We send the report directly to your prescribing clinician and care team for easy integration. If you aren't able to act as a prescribing clinician, Astron partners with a global network of expert practitioners who can interpret and apply the report's insights, so you're never without support or a clear path forward.
Who can benefit from an Astron report?
Astron's approach can benefit patients at any stage of cancer, not just those who've exhausted standard treatments. Our philosophy is that any cancer patient can gain from understanding the unique molecular drivers and targeted interventions available for their specific case.
At diagnosis: Guide initial treatment choices for a stronger response.
Post-treatment or early relapse: Target vulnerabilities to reduce recurrence risk.
During progression or new symptoms: Reassess mutations as the targeted landscape evolves.
In advanced stages: Identify ways to slow disease and maintain stability.
At diagnosis: Guide initial treatment choices for a stronger response.
Post-treatment or early relapse: Target vulnerabilities to reduce recurrence risk.
During progression or new symptoms: Reassess mutations as the targeted landscape evolves.
In advanced stages: Identify ways to slow disease and maintain stability.
How is Astron different from Tempus, Datar Genetics, Foundation One, or RGCC, and do your patients need new testing?
Astron doesn't perform testing. Instead, it builds personalized research reports by interpreting the results of genomic or transcriptomic tests like those from Tempus, Foundation One, Datar Genetics, or RGCC. While those companies identify thousands of mutations, conventional oncology focuses on just a small set (~50 well-known targets). Astron bridges that gap by analyzing all detected mutations and mapping them to research studies, uncovering additional treatment options, including repurposed drugs and supplements that may be overlooked by standard care.If a patient has already had testing done, no new test is needed. In most cases, your team may need to order one for them.
In the US: Most oncologists can order testing directly.
In the UK or internationally: If you need help, Astron can arrange the appropriate testing through our global lab partners and order tests on your behalf.
In the US: Most oncologists can order testing directly.
In the UK or internationally: If you need help, Astron can arrange the appropriate testing through our global lab partners and order tests on your behalf.
How can I know the effectiveness of the treatment (research)?
The report provides direct links to all cited research, along with summaries written for two audiences: technical and detailed for clinicians, and accessible, plain-language explanations for patients.
These summaries explain how each treatment works and what the current research shows. While we can't yet predict with certainty what will work for your patient's specific cancer, Astron is conducting studies, including one with Birmingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, which are underway to improve that. For now, we highlight the best available evidence from published research.
These summaries explain how each treatment works and what the current research shows. While we can't yet predict with certainty what will work for your patient's specific cancer, Astron is conducting studies, including one with Birmingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, which are underway to improve that. For now, we highlight the best available evidence from published research.
Will there be interactions between my standard treatments and repurposed drugs or supplements?
Yes, interactions can occur, but the report prioritizes options with long, well-documented histories of safe clinical use. Many known interactions are generally well-explored in medical literature. As experienced clinicians are made aware of them, your expertise plays a central role in interpreting potential interactions, especially in the context of your patient's full medical history and ongoing treatments.
Can the report tell me anything about the kinds of pathways my cancer preferentially uses (glucose/amino acids/fatty acids)?
Yes, the Astron report provides insights into your patient's cancer's metabolic preferences, though it does so through a systems biology approach rather than explicitly naming canonical pathways like glucose or amino acid metabolism.Instead, the report infers metabolic dependencies using multi-layered analysis of genomic alterations (e.g., oncogenic mutations) and transcriptomic expression of genes regulating metabolism.
For example, upregulation of HMGCR suggests cholesterol biosynthesis dependency. SLC2A1 (GLUT1) expression implies increased glucose uptake and glycolysis (the "Warburg effect"). PIK3CA mutations may indicate a shift toward glycolysis and glutamine metabolism, potentially guiding interventions like ketogenic diets or mTOR inhibitors.
While the report may not label "glutamine dependency" or "aerobic glycolysis" directly, it captures these functional signatures via multi-omic analysis highlighting vulnerabilities that can be therapeutically targeted.
For example, upregulation of HMGCR suggests cholesterol biosynthesis dependency. SLC2A1 (GLUT1) expression implies increased glucose uptake and glycolysis (the "Warburg effect"). PIK3CA mutations may indicate a shift toward glycolysis and glutamine metabolism, potentially guiding interventions like ketogenic diets or mTOR inhibitors.
While the report may not label "glutamine dependency" or "aerobic glycolysis" directly, it captures these functional signatures via multi-omic analysis highlighting vulnerabilities that can be therapeutically targeted.
Does Astron explore natural products, botanicals, and supplements?
Yes, we explore natural botanicals with strong binding data in the literature.
For example, in certain cases, our research has highlighted fisetin and quercetin, which bind to CDK4/6 receptors, synthetically lethal with CDKN2A mutations, as well as Boswellia, which inhibits MAT2A, a synthetically lethal gene pair with MTAP loss. In some instances, natural compounds have demonstrated stronger binding data than conventional drugs, offering additional therapeutic options for patients.
While supplement recommendations are not guaranteed in every report, we evaluate appropriate interventions on a case-by-case basis. Additionally, we encourage our partners to continue using treatments outside of those surfaced in the Astron report as they see fit. By tracking patient outcomes and prescriptions, our platform can act as a hypothesis generation engine, providing valuable insights from retrospective actions and performance.
For example, in certain cases, our research has highlighted fisetin and quercetin, which bind to CDK4/6 receptors, synthetically lethal with CDKN2A mutations, as well as Boswellia, which inhibits MAT2A, a synthetically lethal gene pair with MTAP loss. In some instances, natural compounds have demonstrated stronger binding data than conventional drugs, offering additional therapeutic options for patients.
While supplement recommendations are not guaranteed in every report, we evaluate appropriate interventions on a case-by-case basis. Additionally, we encourage our partners to continue using treatments outside of those surfaced in the Astron report as they see fit. By tracking patient outcomes and prescriptions, our platform can act as a hypothesis generation engine, providing valuable insights from retrospective actions and performance.