Gene Test Estimates Breast Cancer Recurrence

A gene signature assay can estimate risk of recurrence (ROR) of breast cancer between 5 and 10 years after diagnosis in postmenopausal women.

The identification of newly diagnosed women with hormone receptor-positive (HR+), node-positive and node-negative early-stage breast cancer, who are at highest risk of having their cancer recur is a priority for oncologists seeking to help these patients make more informed treatment decision.

Follow-on analyses of data from two large-scale clinical trials, at the Medical University of Vienna (Austria) provided valuable information that assists with treatment decisions by identifying patients at highest risk of this late recurrence. The investigators studied 1,478 postmenopausal women with estrogen receptor positive, node-positive and node-negative early-stage breast cancer.

The oncologists found that the risk of recurrence (ROR) score provided by Prosigna Breast Cancer Assay (NanoString Technologies, Seattle, WA, USA) added prognostic information about the risk of late recurrence of breast cancer to the standard pathological variables in the study population. Patients categorized as low risk based on the Prosigna ROR score had Distant Recurrence Free Survival (DRFS) after year five of 98.7%, while patients with high ROR scores had DRFS after year five of 91.5%. The Prosigna Assay runs on NanoString’s proprietary nCounter Analysis system, which offers a simple, reproducible, and cost-effective way to profile many genes simultaneously with high sensitivity and precision.

Michael Gnant, MD, a professor at the Medical University of Vienna, said, “The Prosigna ROR score can successfully assess the risk for late recurrence in patients with HR+ early-stage breast cancer, and may be used in the future to enable a more informed treatment decision related to the continued use of systemic endocrine therapy.”

Brad Gray, BA, SB, President and Chief Executive Officer of NanoString Technologies, said, “We are pleased with the positive results of these PAM50-Based In Vitro Diagnostic Assay studies, as oncologists and women with early-stage breast cancer need an advanced diagnostic tool that better informs their treatment decisions.” The studies were presented at the Annual IMPAKT Breast Cancer Conference, held May 2 to May 4, 2013, in Brussels (Belgium).

Related Links:
Medical University of Vienna
NanoString Technologies