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Oncotype DX
Oncotype DX is a Genetic test which can help predict which women most likely to have local or regional recurrence. Researchers from the National Surgical Adjuvant Bereast and Bowel Project and Genomic Health, a company based in Northern California have presented data about their Oncotype DX test at the San Antonio Symposium.
Last year, the group reported that the Oncotype DX test not only could predict which women with node-negative, estrogen receptor positive breast cancer were most likely to have a distant recurrence but which women would benefit most from having chemotherapy. Onc currently use a woman's age, tumor size, tumor grade, and estrogen receptor status to assess her risk for having cancer recur. But it is still a best guess scenario. There's no perfect way of determing which women will have their tumors recur and thus who will benefit from chemo and who doesn't really need it. As a result, many women receive chemo who probably don't need it, while others who could benefit don't get it.
The Oncotype DX is another step in the direction of treating women with bc on a individualized basis. The Oncotype test provides increased information
about which women are more likely to benefit from chemo.
Only women whose tumors are node negative and ER positive can use the test.
Jean
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