Thought provoking
https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle...=1685006&faf=1
Abstract Medscape
Monday, July 16, 2018
"CHICAGO — Adjuvant chemotherapy is not necessary for a large proportion of women with early-stage breast cancer, according to new findings that experts agree are "practice changing."
The results come from a federally funded study, the Trial Assigning IndividuaLized Options for TReatment (TAILORx), which involved more than 10,000 patients and tested the 21-tumor gene expression assay (Oncotype Dx, Genomic Health).
"This is the largest adjuvant breast cancer trial ever performed," said lead study author Joseph A. Sparano, MD, associate director for clinical research at the Albert Einstein Cancer Center and Montefiore Health System in New York City and vice-chair of the ECOG-ACRIN Cancer Research Group.
"What we were really trying to do with this trial was 'thread the needle,'" he said.
"In terms of the big picture and the impact on care, application of this test in clinical practice in this population will spare an estimated 70% [of patients] and limit chemotherapy to the 30% who may benefit from it," he added.
The results showed that about 70% of patients with hormone receptor–positive, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)–negative, axillary node–negative early-stage breast cancer, who received a midrange (intermediate) score on the Oncotype Dx test, could be spared chemotherapy. The trial found no difference in the disease-free survival whether these women were treated with endocrine therapy alone or with the combination of endocrine therapy with chemotherapy."
. . . More in relation to specific groups follows . . .
Threaded Mode