Oncotype DX® Influences Breast Cancer Treatment Decisions

Among women with early breast cancer, use of the Oncotype DXR test changed oncologist treatment recommendations in approximately 32% of cases. Use of the test also increased oncologist confidence in the treatment recommendation and decreased patient anxiety. These results were published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

The Oncotype DX test measures the expression of 21 genes in a sample of tumor tissue and generates a Recurrence Score. The Recurrence Score predicts the magnitude of chemotherapy benefit and the likelihood of breast cancer recurrence for women with early-stage, estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer.

To explore how use of the Oncotype DX test influences oncologist and patient treatment decisions and satisfaction, researchers collected information from 89 patients treated by 17 medical oncologists. Information about adjuvant treatment plan was collected before and after obtaining the Oncotype DX Recurrence Score.

Based on the Recurrence Score, the oncologist’s treatment recommendation changed for 31.5% of patients. The most common change was from chemotherapy plus hormonal therapy to hormonal therapy alone.Recurrence Score results increased oncologist confidence in the treatment plan in 76% of the cases.
27% of patients changed their treatment decision based on the Recurrence Score.Patient anxiety was lower after receipt of the Recurrence Score results.These results provide additional evidence that Recurrence Score results can influence treatment recommendations and treatment decisions for women with early breast cancer, and can help relieve patient anxiety.

Reference: Lo SS, Mumby PB, Norton J et al. Prospective multicenter study of the impact of the 21-gene recurrence score assay on medical oncologist and patient adjuvant breast cancer treatment selection. Journal of Clinical Oncology [early online publication]. January 11, 2009.

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European Study Reports that Oncotype DX® Influences Breast Cancer Treatment Decisions

Consistent with what has been reported in the United States, use of the Oncotype DXR breast cancer test influenced treatment decisions for early-stage breast cancer patients in Spain. These results were presented at the 35th European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Congress.

The Oncotype DX breast cancer test measures the expression of 21 genes in a sample of a breast tumor. The test generates a Recurrence ScoreR that provides information about the likelihood of cancer recurrence and the likelihood of chemotherapy benefit in women with early-stage breast cancer.

Studies of U.S. physicians and patients have indicated that use of the Oncotype DX breast cancer test can influence breast cancer treatment decisions.[1] Test results may, for example, change the treatment recommendation from chemotherapy plus hormonal therapy to hormonal therapy alone (or vice versa).

To explore use of the test outside of the U.S., researchers conducted a study among 107 breast cancer cases diagnosed and treated in Spain.[2] Information about adjuvant treatment plan was collected before and after obtaining the Oncotype DX Recurrence Score.

Knowledge of a patient’s Recurrence Score changed the oncologists’ treatment recommendations in 32% of the cases: in 21% of the cases, the treatment plan switched from chemotherapy plus hormonal therapy to hormonal therapy alone. In 11% of the cases, the treatment plan switched from hormonal therapy alone to chemotherapy plus hormonal therapy. The study also assessed how use of the test affected a physician’s confidence in his or her treatment plan. In 61% of the cases, oncologists reported increased confidence in their treatment decisions, and in 7% of cases the oncologists reported decreased confidence.

Similar to what has been reported in the United States, these results from Spain indicate that the Oncotype DX breast cancer test influenced adjuvant therapy decisions for women with early breast cancer.

References:

[1] Lo SS, Mumby PB, Norton J et al. Prospective multicenter study of the impact of the 21-gene recurrence score assay on medical oncologist and patient adjuvant breast cancer treatment selection. Journal of Clinical Oncology. 2010; 28:1671-1676.

[2] Albanell J, Colomer R, Ruiz-Borrego M et al. Prospective transGEICAM study of Oncotype DXR in clinical decision making in estrogen receptor-positive node-negative breast cancer women. Presented at the 35th European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Congress, Milan, Italy, October 8-12, 2010. Abstract 222PD.

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