On December 19, 2018 Genomic Health, Inc. (NASDAQ: GHDX) reported that the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) in the United Kingdom has issued its updated guidance again recommending the Oncotype DX Breast Recurrence Score test for use in clinical practice to guide adjuvant chemotherapy treatment decisions for certain patients with early-stage breast cancer (Press release, Genomic Health, DEC 19, 2018, View Source [SID1234532154]). Further, NICE expanded its recommendation to include patients with micrometastases, indicating that some cancer cells have spread to the lymph nodes.
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"Oncotype DX is the only test that provides specific information about an individual patient’s response to chemotherapy, correctly identifying the important minority of patients who will receive substantial treatment benefit and the majority of patients who will not benefit from chemotherapy," said Simon D H Holt, Honorary Consultant Surgical Oncologist, Peony Breast Care Unit at Prince Philip Hospital in Llanelli, UK. "This test allows us to target treatment much more effectively and should be routinely used for all eligible patients."
The recommendation of the Oncotype DX Breast Recurrence Score test in NICE’s updated guidance is based on the test’s unique ability to predict who will benefit from chemotherapy and who will not. Importantly, NICE acknowledges Oncotype DX as the only test that reduces the overall number of patients who receive chemotherapy, as well as the only test supported by long-term patient outcomes evidence, including the recently published landmark TAILORx study. Further, NICE also found the Oncotype DX test to be the most cost-effective tool in guiding chemotherapy treatment.
"We believe this positive endorsement from NICE reflects the growing global recognition of the unique value Oncotype DX provides," said Torsten Hoof, senior vice president, international, Genomic Health. "As we continue to experience an increasing impact of the TAILORx study results on clinical practice, we believe we are one step closer to broadening Oncotype DX access through increased reimbursement in Western Europe and around the world."
The predictive value of the Oncotype DX Breast Recurrence Score test was also recently acknowledged by Germany’s health technology assessment body, the Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG), which concluded that only the Oncotype DX test has sufficient evidence to guide breast cancer adjuvant chemotherapy decisions based on the TAILORx study results.
Additionally, the U.S. National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) categorized Oncotype DX as the only "preferred" test for chemotherapy treatment decision-making for node-negative, early-stage breast cancer patients in its 2018 updated treatment guidelines.
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 company’s flagship product, the Oncotype DX Breast Recurrence Score test, is the only test that has been shown to predict the likelihood of chemotherapy benefit as well as recurrence in invasive breast cancer. Additionally, the Oncotype DX Breast DCIS Score test predicts the likelihood of recurrence in a pre-invasive form of breast cancer called DCIS. In prostate cancer, the Oncotype DX Genomic Prostate Score test predicts disease aggressiveness and further clarifies the current and future risk of the cancer prior to treatment intervention. With more than 950,000 patients tested in more than 90 countries, the Oncotype DX tests have redefined personalized medicine by making genomics a critical part of cancer diagnosis and treatment. To learn more about Oncotype DX tests, visit www.OncotypeIQ.com, www.MyBreastCancerTreatment.org or www.MyProstateCancerTreatment.org.