About the Test

The Oncotype DX Breast Recurrence Score^® is a genomic test that can help women recently diagnosed with early stage, hormone receptor-positive (HR+), human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative (HER2-) breast cancer understand that adding chemotherapy to hormone therapy will reduce the risk that their cancer comes back.^1,2,4

The Oncotype DX^® test analyses the activity of several cancer-related genes in your tumour tissue. Because every woman’s tumour is unique, understanding the biology of your specific tumour can help to make treatment decisions. Find out if you’re eligible for the test.

Understanding Genomic Testing

Genomics is the study of how a set of genes behave within the body environment. In breast cancer, genomic tests assess the tissue from your breast cancer tumour to identify the activity and interaction of the genes that influence the behaviour of your tumour, including how likely it is to grow and spread. Advanced genomic testing can ultimately identify the likelihood of the tumour to respond or not to a given treatment. Not all genomic tests for breast cancer are alike; it is important to understand their specificities and ask if they address the question: will I benefit from chemotherapy or not?

Studies have shown that chemotherapy does not reduce recurrence risk in all breast cancer patients by the same amount. In fact, only a minority of patients with early-stage, node-negative breast cancer substantially benefits from chemotherapy^1-4 whereas the vast majority of patients doesn’t benefit from it and can be spared this treatment and its related toxicities. Without the right genomic test, doctors can only estimate how likely a patient’s cancer is to return. By adding the information from a genomic test that is proven to predict chemotherapy benefit, your doctor can more precisely assess how likely a tumour is to respond to a treatment like chemotherapy.

How the Test Works

The Oncotype DX test analyses the genes in your tumour. A small amount of tumour tissue is routinely taken from a biopsy before or during the surgery procedure; this means you will not need any additional procedure to get the Oncotype DX test.

After your tissue has been analysed, you will receive a Recurrence Score^® result between 0 and 100.

A lower score means it is unlikely that chemotherapy will reduce the risk that your cancer comes back. A higher score means you have a higher chance of benefiting from chemotherapy. Learn more about the test results.

To date, the Oncotype DX test has been used by more than one million patients around the world. Many women who received higher Recurrence Score results were able to choose chemotherapy as a potentially life-saving treatment, as it reduces further the risk of the cancer returning. The majority of women had lower Recurrence Score results and were able to effectively pursue hormonal therapy alone with confidence and avoid the unnecessary side effects of unnecessary chemotherapy.^4-8

Reasons to Get the Test

There are several reasons to get the Oncotype DX test:

• It provides insight into your tumour biology that is not available from traditional measures (clinical and pathologic features). Without the Oncotype DX test, doctors can only estimate how likely a patient’s cancer is to return. The Oncotype DX test provides individualised information about your tumour’s biology and the potential benefit of adding chemotherapy to your treatment plan in order to minimize the risk of your cancer returning.
• It’s the only test proven to determine the expected response to chemotherapy in early breast cancer. Several studies including more than 85 000 patients have consistently proven that only the Oncotype DX test can predict whether patients will benefit from chemotherapy, or not.^1,2,4-8 Therefore, the Oncotype DX test can help you and your physician tailor a treatment plan specifically for you because not every patient with early-stage breast cancer will benefit from chemotherapy.
• It’s supported by robust evidence and is incorporated in all major breast cancer treatment guidelines. The Oncotype DX test has been validated in multiple clinical trials, and more than one million people have used it worldwide. It is incorporated in all major breast cancer treatment guidelines, including those of the St. Gallen International Breast Cancer Consensus and the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO), as well as the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO^®) and the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN^®) in the USA^9,12-14. In addition, important health technology assessment bodies such as the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) in the UK and the German Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG) have acknowledged the unique value of the Oncotype DX test.^10-11

Find out more here.