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The Application of Oncotype DX in Early-Stage Lymph-Node-Positive Disease

  • Breast Cancer (B Overmoyer, Section Editor)
  • Published:
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Abstract

The recurrence score derived from the 21-gene Oncotype DX assay is both prognostic and predictive of adjuvant chemotherapy benefit in node-negative, estrogen-receptor-positive breast cancer patients treated with tamoxifen. This has led to a remarkable shift in the treatment paradigm, with a sizeable number of patients being able to avoid adjuvant chemotherapy. The recurrence score was then analyzed in a large retrospective study with node-positive, estrogen-receptor-positive patients, in which it demonstrated both prognostic and predictive abilities. This review introduces the clinical trials that validated the Oncotype DX assay in the node-negative population, highlights the studies evaluating the utility of the assay in node-positive patients, examines the impact of the assay results on treatment decisions, and discusses the health outcomes and health care expenditures associated with this assay.

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Sakira Jain and William J. Gradishar declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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This article does not contain any studies with human or animal subjects performed by any of the authors.

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  1. Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine and the Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, 676 N. St Clair, Suite 850, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA

    Sarika Jain & William J. Gradishar

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  1. Sarika Jain
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Correspondence to William J. Gradishar.

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This article is part of the Topical Collection on Breast Cancer

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Jain, S., Gradishar, W.J. The Application of Oncotype DX in Early-Stage Lymph-Node-Positive Disease. Curr Oncol Rep 16, 360 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11912-013-0360-2

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