Recurrence Score

backgroundPatients with hormone receptor-positive (HR+), HER2-negative (HER2-) early breast cancer (eBC) with a high risk of relapse often undergo adjuvant chemotherapy. However, only a few patients will gain benefit from chemotherapy. Since classical tumor characteristics (grade, tumor size, lymph node involvement, and Ki67) are of limited value to predict chemotherapy efficacy, multigene expression assays such as the Oncotype DX MATERIALS AND

methodsThe RS result was assessed in patients with HR+/HER2- unilateral eBC with 0-3 pathologic lymph nodes who underwent primary surgical treatment at the Department for Women's Health of Tuebingen University, Germany. Therapy recommendations without knowledge of the RS result were compared to therapy recommendations with awareness of the RS result.

resultsIn total, 245 patients underwent RS assessment. Without knowledge of the RS result, 92/245 patients (37.6%) would have been advised to receive chemotherapy. After RS assessment, 56/245 patients (22.9%) were advised to undergo chemotherapy. Chemotherapy was waived in 47/92 patients (51.1%) that were initially recommended to receive it. Chemotherapy was added in 11/153 patients (7.2%) that were recommended to not receive it initially. SUMMARY: Using the RS result to guide adjuvant treatment decisions in HR+/HER2- breast cancer led to a substantial reduction of chemotherapy. In view of the results achieved in prospective studies, the RS result is among other risk-factors suitable for the individualization of adjuvant systemic therapy.