Groundbreaking genomic test could spare millions of breast cancer patients chemotherapy

Breast cancer treatment often includes surgery followed by chemotherapy when recurrence risk is considered high. Chemotherapy can cause severe physical and emotional side effects, including hair loss, rashes, nausea, insomnia, and fatigue, and may lead to infertility, cognitive impairment, or early menopause. A genomic test developed to guide treatment can determine which patients need chemotherapy and which can avoid it. Results from an international Optima trial followed more than 4,000 newly diagnosed patients across multiple countries. Patients with low genomic test scores were treated safely with hormone therapy alone. The trial indicates millions of women could avoid chemotherapy without increasing the risk of cancer returning, supporting more personalized medicine.

"Millions of women with breast cancer could be spared chemotherapy with a groundbreaking genomic test, according to the results of a trial that could transform healthcare guidelines worldwide. Treatment for breast cancer, the world's most prevalent form of the disease, involves surgery to remove tumours. Chemotherapy is then usually recommended when doctors believe there is a risk the disease will return. But chemotherapy's toxic side-effects, which can include hair loss, rashes, nausea, insomnia and fatigue, are physically and emotionally gruelling for patients."

"Some women may face life-changing consequences such as infertility, cognitive impairment or early menopause. For decades, there has been little choice for patients. Now scientists have developed a genomic test that can spot who needs chemotherapy and who doesn't. The breakthrough enables doctors to determine which patients can safely skip it, paving the way for a new era of personalised medicine."

"Results from an international trial of the test suggest millions of women could safely avoid chemotherapy, sparing them side-effects without increasing the risk of their cancer returning. The Optima trial, led by University College London, followed more than 4,000 patients with newly diagnosed breast cancer in the UK, Norway, Sweden, Australia, New Zealand and Thailand. It found that those with a low score on the genomic test could be treated safely with hormone therapy alone."

"One woman who took part in the trial told the Guardian that being able to skip chemotherapy felt like Christmas. Nine years after being diagnosed, taking the test and skipping chemotherapy, she is healthy and enjoying a full and active life. Prof Rob Stein, the trial's chief investigator and a professor of breast oncology at UCL, said: Optima addresses a longstanding challenge in breast ca"

Read at www.theguardian.com