New Genetic Test Helps Breast Cancer Patients Decide on Chemotherapy

A new genetic test will soon be available to help women with breast cancer decide whether it is necessary to undergo chemotherapy.

Genomic Health Inc. said it has identified nearly two dozen genes that collectively can predict with a high degree of accuracy the likelihood of a recurrence of breast cancer in women whose cancer was diagnosed at an early stage.

If the gene test indicates that chances of recurrence are very low, a woman may choose not to endure the side effects associated with chemotherapy. If the chances of a recurrence are high, a woman may decide to opt for the chemotherapy treatment.

"For the women in that highest group, it makes their decision so much easier," said Dr. Melody Cobleigh of Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke's Medical Center in Chicago.

Genomic Health chief executive Randy Scott said his company plans to make the test available to newly diagnosed breast cancer patients in early 2004.

Researchers told a breast cancer conference in San Antonio that by analyzing tumor samples from nearly 700 women involved in a 1980s cancer study, Genomic Health was able to create a point system to express chances of breast cancer recurrence within 10 years.

Genomic Health found that just over half of the women in its sample group fell into the low-risk category, with 27 percent of the women determined to be at high risk of recurrence.

Dr. Daniel Hayes of the University of Michigan said too many breast cancer patients needlessly undergo chemotherapy because the established ways of predicting recurrence do not provide enough information for them.

If the new genetic test proves accurate, doctors could tell a patient she might safely be able to avoid chemotherapy, Hayes said.

Other Sources: Genomic Health