Skip Chemo? Gene Test Offers New Hope

Globally, breast cancer is the most common cancer among women. Recent findings from the OPTIMA trial, a large international study led by UCL, suggest that a gene-expression test called Prosigna can identify early-stage breast cancer patients who may safely avoid chemotherapy. The study tracked over 4,400 women, with results indicating that approximately 68% of patients classified as "low risk" by Prosigna, and therefore treated with hormone therapy alone, achieved a 93.6% five-year cancer-free survival rate.

This survival rate is comparable to the 94.8% achieved by patients with similar tumors who received both hormone therapy and chemotherapy. This suggests that many women could be spared the side effects of chemotherapy without compromising their long-term outcomes. The Prosigna test, developed by Veracyte, analyzes 50 genes in a tumor sample to assess its aggressiveness and likelihood of recurrence, providing a crucial "risk of recurrence" score to guide treatment decisions.

The research highlights that the Prosigna test is most beneficial for patients with early-stage, hormone-sensitive (ER-positive), HER2-negative breast cancer, which are common tumor types. While not a replacement for chemotherapy in all cases, the test allows for more personalized treatment plans. Researchers estimate thousands of women annually could avoid chemotherapy, potentially saving healthcare systems significant costs and improving patients' quality of life by avoiding debilitating side effects.