Even when breast cancer has been diagnosed, it is often hard to define the most effective treatment option.
For ER + positive and HER2-negative tumors that produce the ER – protein associated with an estrogen receptor, additional tests may help your doctor to define the best course of treatment.
This allows to calculate a long-term prognosis of the disease recurrence for patients in 10 years after treatment. Aggressiveness of tumor cells provides information for the oncologist and patient to select a reasonable type of treatment.
Doctors for Breast Cancer – Get a Second Opinion
Oncotests for breast cancer use hereditary information, as well as the genetic profile of other tumors (if they are present). This makes it possible to obtain accurate data when making long-term decisions identifying patients who can safely avoid chemotherapy.
In the presence of ER positive breast cancer, hormone therapy is the standard treatment protocol, which allows to halve the risk of cancer recurrence. In some cases, chemotherapy is additionally used. When prescribing this type of treatment, the doctor analyzes several factors and decides on the potential benefits and risks for the patient.
Genetic tests for breast cancer allow to determine accurately the low or high risk of cancer recurrence, and get the most out of the main treatment without the side effects of chemotherapy, where applicable.
How to understand and interpret the results of oncotests for breast cancer?
The results of the conducted oncotests will affect your further treatment. After a detailed analysis of the genes associated with breast cancer, the doctor receives a report that contains information about the low or high risk of recurrence (return) of the disease over the next ten years. Together with other factors, doctor defines the best treatment for the patient.
These factors are:
- Age
- Health condition and other diseases
- Possible effects of chemotherapy
Proper and safe treatment of a patient with breast cancer allows to choose the most appropriate treatment, to avoid harm from unnecessary chemotherapy, and to reduce the total cost of treatment.
Breast EndoPredict testing
This diagnostic test is designed to determine the risk of distant metastases in patients with primary breast cancer that has positive expression of estrogen receptors (ER +) and negative expression of HER2 protein during hormone therapy. The oncotest determines the expression levels of 8 genes associated with estrogen receptors and rapid cell proliferation. EndoPredict is a diagnostic tool that helps the doctor to make an informed decision, avoid chemotherapy, if possible, and choose an individual treatment method for each patient.
OncotypeDX testing for breast cancer
Oncotest is performed on a sample of tumor tissue obtained during surgery or biopsy. It is intended for women with a diagnosis of stage I-III breast cancer and positive expression of estrogen and / or progesterone receptors, and negative expression with respect to HER2. It helps the oncologist to decide whether chemotherapy should be considered as a preventive measure for relapse in addition to hormone replacement therapy.
Additional information on the breast cancer treatment in Israel: