Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39899163›Full record

SynthesisBreast cancer research and treatment2025

Gene expression profiling tests to guide adjuvant chemotherapy decisions in lymph node-positive early breast cancer: a systematic review.

Katy Cooper, Gamze Nalbant, Munira Essat, Sue Harnan, Ruth Wong, Jean Hamilton, Uzma S Asghar, Nicolò M L Battisti, Lynda Wyld, Paul Tappenden

Abstract readSystematic Review
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Breast cancer research and treatment, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Katy CooperSchool of Medicine and Population Health, University of Sheffield, Regent Court, 30 Regent Street, Sheffield, S1 4DA, UK. k.l.cooper@sheffield.ac.uk.
Gamze NalbantSchool of Medicine and Population Health, University of Sheffield, Regent Court, 30 Regent Street, Sheffield, S1 4DA, UK.
Munira EssatSchool of Medicine and Population Health, University of Sheffield, Regent Court, 30 Regent Street, Sheffield, S1 4DA, UK.
Sue HarnanSchool of Medicine and Population Health, University of Sheffield, Regent Court, 30 Regent Street, Sheffield, S1 4DA, UK.
Ruth WongSchool of Medicine and Population Health, University of Sheffield, Regent Court, 30 Regent Street, Sheffield, S1 4DA, UK.
Jean HamiltonSchool of Medicine and Population Health, University of Sheffield, Regent Court, 30 Regent Street, Sheffield, S1 4DA, UK.
Uzma S AsgharBreast Unit, Department of Medicine, Oak Cancer Centre, The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, Sutton, SM2 5PT, UK.
Nicolò M L BattistiBreast Unit, Department of Medicine, The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.
Lynda WyldSchool of Medicine and Population Health, University of Sheffield, Regent Court, 30 Regent Street, Sheffield, S1 4DA, UK.
Paul TappendenSchool of Medicine and Population Health, University of Sheffield, Regent Court, 30 Regent Street, Sheffield, S1 4DA, UK.

Funding

National Institute for Health and Care Research NIHR135822
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeTo systematically review the effectiveness of gene expression profiling tests to inform adjuvant chemotherapy decisions in people with hormone receptor-positive (HR+), lymph node-positive (LN+) breast cancer.

methodsThis systematic review assessed the effectiveness of Oncotype DX, Prosigna, EndoPredict and MammaPrint for guiding adjuvant chemotherapy decisions in HR+ early breast cancer with 1-3 positive nodes, in terms of prognostic ability, prediction of chemotherapy benefit, impact on chemotherapy decisions, quality of life and anxiety. Searches covered MEDLINE, EMBASE and Cochrane databases in April 2023.

resultsFifty-five articles were included. All four tests were prognostic for distant recurrence in LN+ patients. The RxPONDER trial reported no chemotherapy benefit in post-menopausal LN+ patients with low Oncotype DX (RS 0-25), whilst pre-menopausal patients had statistically significant chemotherapy benefit. An RCT reanalysis of Oncotype DX (SWOG-8814) suggested greater chemotherapy benefit with higher RS in post-menopausal LN+ patients. The MINDACT trial reported that LN+ patients with high clinical risk and low MammaPrint risk had a non-statistically significant chemotherapy benefit, but was not designed assess differential chemotherapy benefit per risk group. Decisions to undergo chemotherapy reduced by 12-75% following Oncotype DX testing in LN+ patients in the UK and Europe. No studies in LN+ populations were identified for prediction of chemotherapy benefit by Prosigna or EndoPredict; or for chemotherapy decisions for Prosigna, EndoPredict or MammaPrint; or for anxiety or quality of life impact for any test.

conclusionsAll four tests have prognostic ability in LN+ patients. Evidence on predictive benefit is weaker, with equivocal evidence that Oncotype DX may predict chemotherapy benefit in LN+ post-menopausal patients. Use of Oncotype DX leads to fewer patients being recommended chemotherapy.

Indexed as

Biomarkers, TumorBreast NeoplasmsGene Expression ProfilingChemotherapy, AdjuvantClinical Decision-MakingFemaleHumansLymphatic MetastasisLymph NodesPrognosisQuality of LifeBiomarkers, TumorAdjuvant chemotherapyBreast neoplasmsGene expression profilingPrognostic testSystematic review

Identifiers

PMID39899163
PMCPMC11930876

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.