Researchers have developed a new test that can predict the return of cancer, thus sparing breast cancer patients from unnecessary chemotherapy. The test, called Oncotype DX, analyses the samples of a tumour that is removed during surgery and provides a score between 1 and 100 on the likelihood of cancer returning. "Thousands of women are undergoing unnecessary chemotherapy because of the failure to make this available to everyone," Professor at a leading breast cancer surgeon at the hospital.
The test is suitable for women, who have a hormone-driven breast cancer type known as Oestrogen receptor positive HER2 negative which accounts for most breast cancer patients. For the study, published in the journal Clinical Oncology, the team conducted a trial, known as Plan B, and involved over 4,000 patients in 12 centres in Germany.Plan B showed that the test was effective both in women whose…
