Thousands of women diagnosed with breast cancer every year could avoid chemotherapy thanks to a breakthrough new gene test. The treatment women currently receive on the NHS depends on the size and type of breast cancer they have, where in the body it is, whether it has spread to other parts of the body, and the patient's general health. The main treatment is usually surgery and other common treatments include, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, treatment with hormones, targeted medicines, and immunotherapy.
But a new treatment could establish whether the tumour is likely to return after surgery. Chemotherapy uses medicines to kill cancer cells and can be carried out before or after surgery based on the patient's circumstances. This therapy can work throughout the patient's body but also comes with some side effects including nausea, fatigue, and the loss of hair because while attacking cancerous cells, chemotherapy can also affect some fast-growing healthy cells.
A new test called Oncotype DX could help patients avoid chemotherapy as it can analyse the tumour tissue and conclude how likely it is to return by looking for genes associated with aggressive cancer. The test could benefit patients with breast cancer which has spread to the lymph nodes, most of whom are offered chemotherapy over fears the cancer has spread to other organs. Studies show that the device, which costs about £2,000 per test, can identify the 85 per cent of this patient group whose cancer is unlikely to return.
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