Genomic Health, Inc. (GHDX) reported the outcome of a significant study which confirmed that the Oncotype DX test results for Recurrence Score and quantitative estrogen-receptor (ER) can predict distant recurrence risk in patients with early-stage breast cancer, after initial tamoxifen therapy.
Data from the study suggests that Oncotype DX may help identify those patients who have higher chances to benefit from extended hormonal treatment beyond five years. These results belong to one of the nine Oncotype DX studies being presented at the 2014 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting in Chicago.
As per ASCO's guideline update, recent studies have revealed that extending tamoxifen treatment for 10 years is associated with better outcomes. However, better tools are required to identify such patients.
Further, this study confirmed that Oncotype DX can also help in identifying patients who are at a lower risk for late recurrences and will likely have less absolute benefit from extended tamoxifen. As a result, this identification spares low-risk patients from prolonged exposure to the treatment and the risk of long-term side effects.
This new study analyzed 668 and 1065 patients from the original NSABP (National Surgical Adjuvant Breast and Bowel Project) B-14 and B-28 trials, respectively. Results suggest that extending tamoxifen therapy beyond 5 years may be particularly beneficial in patients with high and intermediate Recurrence Scores, whose tumors had higher quantitative estrogen receptor expression.
This fresh set of findings have accentuated Genomic Health's ability to better guide a patient through his/her battle against the deadly disease, by helping him/her take the most suitable and best-informed breast cancer treatment decision.
Genomic Health currently has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). Some better-ranked stocks worth considering in the biomedical industry include ANI Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (ANIP), Myriad Genetics Inc. (MYGN) and Illumina Inc. (ILMN). All these stocks sport a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy).
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