On October 26, 2016 Genomic Health, Inc. (NASDAQ: GHDX) reported publication in Reviews in Urology of a comprehensive economic analysis of the use of the Oncotype DX Genomic Prostate ScoreTM (GPS) in low-risk prostate cancer patients (Press release, Genomic Health, OCT 26, 2016, View Source [SID1234516026]). Results showed that use of the GPS results in a net savings of $2,286 per patient – including the cost of the test – by decreasing unnecessary immediate invasive treatment.

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"Not all low-risk prostate cancers are aggressive, but it is critical to know exactly which patient can forego immediate surgery safely," said study principal investigator David M. Albala, M.D., chief of urology, Crouse Hospital, Syracuse, New York. "Better treatment decisions can be made when patients have genomic information about their prostate tumors. Our study reconfirms that the GPS provides physicians and patients with additional risk assessment that resolves uncertainty in prognosis and informs individuals’ treatment decisions based on tumor biology."

Led by Associated Medical Professionals (AMP) of New York, the study demonstrated that incorporation of the GPS as part of the treatment decision algorithm for prostate cancer patients with NCCN very low and low-risk disease (64 percent of the study population) led to a 21 percent net increase in the use of active surveillance. The study specifically included prostate cancer patients covered by Excellus BlueCross BlueShield insurance in New York. Of these, treatment patterns and cost for 80 men tested with Oncotype DX were compared to 100 patients in the same practice without genomic testing.

Based on a real-world practice setting with a contemporary patient population and using current treatment cost averages, these published results demonstrated that the use of Oncotype DX represented a more than 50 percent return on investment over six months by reducing the cost of unnecessary immediate interventions. Additional savings can also be expected by removing the cost of management of associated side effects of treatment such as impotence and incontinence.

"The cost of caring for prostate cancer patients in the United States is estimated to be approximately $18 billion by 2020," said Phil Febbo, M.D., chief medical officer, Genomic Health. "The study provides additional important evidence to support broader adoption of Oncotype DX as we continue to fulfill Genomic Health’s vision to bring precision medicine to cancer patients, to empower physicians with actionable molecular information and to provide value and cost savings to our healthcare systems."

About Oncotype DX
The Oncotype DX portfolio of breast, colon and prostate cancer tests applies advanced genomic science to reveal the unique biology of a tumor in order to optimize cancer treatment decisions. The Oncotype DX prostate cancer test identifies which clinically low-risk patients are eligible for active surveillance, as well as those who may benefit from immediate treatment by predicting disease aggressiveness. With more than 600,000 patients tested in more than 90 countries, Oncotype DX testing has redefined personalized medicine by making genomics a critical part of cancer diagnosis and treatment. To learn more about the Oncotype DX prostate cancer test, visit www.OncotypeDX.com or www.MyProstateCancerTreatment.org.