New findings from the landmark TAILORx study have revealed that the Oncotype DX Breast Cancer Assay is able to accurately identify the 70% of early breast cancer patients who can safely avoid chemotherapy, as well as the 30% of women for whom chemotherapy is optimal.
This investigation was the largest adjuvant breast cancer treatment trial ever conducted, with more than 10,000 women evaluated using the Oncotype DX breast cancer assay.
This test analyses 21 specific genes within a tumour to provide a Recurrence Score between 1 and 100.
In the TAILORx study, those with a Recurrence Score of 11-25 were randomised to either receive chemotherapy and hormonal therapy or hormone therapy alone and were followed up for more than nine years. Key findings presented today have demonstrated the predictive and prognostic ability of the technology – identifying those women who can avoid chemotherapy and for whom hormone therapy alone is appropriate, as well as those women for whom chemotherapy is optimal.
Australian oncologist Richard de Boer explains the importance of this outcome globally and for Australian women.