Saed News: Medical experts say the results of a new study offer hope that millions of women with breast cancer may be able to avoid chemotherapy through the use of a pioneering genomic test.
According to SAEDNEWS, researchers believe that incorporating genomic testing into routine medical care could soon transform healthcare guidelines around the world.
Breast cancer, one of the most common cancers globally, is typically treated with surgery to remove tumors. Chemotherapy is often recommended when doctors believe there is a risk that the disease could return.
However, chemotherapy can cause physically and emotionally challenging side effects, including hair loss, skin rashes, nausea, insomnia, and fatigue. Some women may also experience life-altering consequences such as infertility, cognitive impairment, or early menopause.
For decades, patients had limited treatment options. Now, medical experts have found that a new genomic test can help determine which patients truly need chemotherapy and which do not. This advancement allows doctors to identify patients who can safely avoid chemotherapy, paving the way for a new era of personalized medicine.
According to The Guardian, the results of an international trial suggest that millions of women may safely avoid chemotherapy and its side effects without increasing their risk of cancer recurrence. The findings are set to be presented at the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), the world's largest cancer conference.
The trial, known as OPTIMA, was led by researchers and physicians from University College London (UCL) and followed more than 4,000 newly diagnosed breast cancer patients in the United Kingdom, Norway, Sweden, Australia, New Zealand, and Thailand.
The study found that patients who received low-risk scores on the genomic test could be safely treated with hormone therapy alone.
Professor Rob Stein, the lead investigator of the trial and Professor of Breast Oncology at UCL, said the results represent an important step toward more personalized treatment. He noted that the study successfully used tumor biology to guide treatment decisions rather than relying solely on traditional clinical characteristics.
The Prosigna test, developed by the global diagnostics company Veracyte, analyzes the activity of 50 genes in tumor tissue. The test determines the tumor’s molecular subtype and provides a risk score indicating the likelihood of breast cancer recurrence over the next decade, helping physicians decide whether chemotherapy is beneficial.
Researchers say these findings mark a significant advance in delivering more precise and personalized care, ensuring that treatment decisions are based on what truly improves patient outcomes while avoiding unnecessary side effects. The potential impact could be substantial for both patients and healthcare systems.
