New Test Could Spare Many Patients Chemotherapy

A genomic test could help many people with breast cancer avoid chemotherapy while achieving the same outcomes, marking a major advance in personalised treatment in the United Kingdom.

“These results mark an important and significant step toward more personalised treatment,” said Professor Rob Stein, Chief Investigator of the Optima trial and Professor of Breast Oncology at University College London.

The international trial followed 4,429 patients with hormone-positive breast cancer, the most common form of the disease. Using a test that analyses the activity of 50 genes within a tumour, doctors identified patients who could be treated with hormone therapy alone rather than chemotherapy. Five years after treatment, 94% of patients who skipped chemotherapy were alive and free from cancer recurrence, compared with 95% of those who received both chemotherapy and hormone therapy. Researchers say the findings could spare millions of patients from the physical and emotional burden of chemotherapy while helping healthcare systems deliver more targeted and effective care.