Channel 9

4 June 2018

Interview with Dr Penny Adams, Medical Expert

Interview with Dr Penny Adams, Medical Expert. There is a medical breakthrough for women with the most common form of early-stage breast cancer, with new research revealing that genetic testing could help them skip chemotherapy without affecting their chances of beating the disease. Adams says the study in women with early breast cancer has analysed the genetics of the cancer cells in a test called an Oncotype-DX, looking at 21 genes on the cancer cells and have ranked the cells into the risk of recurrence. Adams says in the past, women who are intermediate or high had gone on to have a chemotherapy. Adams says the research on 10,000 women shows that intermediate women do not benefit from Chemotherapy. Adams says the test costs US$4,000.

Adams says alternatives to Chemotherapy for intermediate patients include the removal of lumps or radiotherapy.