Breast Cancer Breakthrough Could Predict Recurrence Risk for Thousands of UK Women

19 October 2011 - Scientists have developed a cost effective test to help identify who among the 37,000 women diagnosed each with the most common type of breast cancer, oestrogen receptor-positive, are at risk of the disease returning.  

An existing test, Oncotype DX®, is only available in one lab in the USA and costs £2,500 per patient, so most cancer specialists do not have the money to use it.  

The new test, which could be rolled out within two years, was found to be just as effective. It incorporates two assays that are already routinely used in the UK (ER and HER2) and two more (PR and Ki67) that are simple and can be done using regular lab equipment.  

The test could be used to identify high and low risk patients at an early stage, and modify their treatment accordingly.

Professor Mitch Dowsett from the ICR, co-leader of the work with Queen Mary, University of London, said: “It is a major step towards more personalised and targeted treatment of breast cancer, which will mean that women can avoid unnecessary chemotherapy and its toxic side-effects.”