Breast Cancer Test Optimizes Treatment Recommendations

The first prospective outcomes data from a large Women's Healthcare Study Group (WSG) for contemporary adjuvant breast cancer trials has identified patients who would be more likely to benefit from chemotherapy treatment.

The study carried out by the WSG in more than 90 centers across Germany, used a commercial breast cancer test to optimize treatment recommendations based on individual patient risk.


Scientists from Bethesda Hospital (Monchengladbach, Germany) performed an analysis of 3,198 patients, mostly classified as candidates for chemotherapy by traditional parameters. Participants with Recurrence Score results of 12 or higher were randomized to different chemotherapy regimens. At three years follow-up, patients with Recurrence Score results of 11 or less who received only endocrine therapy had high event free survival rates (98.3%) despite having high risk disease by traditional parameters. The low risk of recurrence for patients with low scores is consistent with previously presented validation studies for the Oncotype DX test (Genomic Health, Redwood City, CA, USA).

The company Genomic Health also announced positive results from the second large clinical validation study of Oncotype DX in patients with a pre-invasive form of breast cancer known as ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS). The study, conducted by the Ontario DCIS Study Group of Sunnybrook Health Sciences Center (Toronto, ON, Canada) showed that the Oncotype DX DCIS Score result is a strong predictor of local recurrence, which could be either invasive breast cancer or DCIS. These results confirm and extend the conclusions of the previously published validation study. The Oncotype DX DCIS Score result provides more precise information about the individual risk of a recurrence of either DCIS or invasive breast cancer by looking at 12 genes within a tumor sample to reveal the aggressiveness of the disease, a key factor in deciding treatment after surgery.

Christer Svedman, MD, Director of Medical Affairs Europe at Genomic Health, said, “The data from Plan B continue to highlight the ability of the Oncotype DX test to stratify patient risk and importantly also provide the first robust prospective data. In addition, the new DCIS data reinforce the important role of genomic testing to help make more informed treatment decisions in patients with this pre-invasive form of the disease.” The studies were presented at the 34th San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium held 9–13 December 2014 in (San Antonio, TX, USA).

Related Links:
Bethesda Hospital
Oncotype DX 
Sunnybrook Health Sciences Center