Gene Test Finds Which Breast Cancer Patients Can Skip Chemo

BOSTON (CBS) - A new study shows a gene test can help many women with early stage breast cancer avoid chemotherapy and still beat the disease.

Ann Louise Puopolo was diagnosed with early stage breast cancer five years ago. "I really wanted to make the best decision on behalf of my health," says Puopolo.

Doctors at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute suggested she have a gene activity test called the Oncotype DX to help assess the risk of whether her cancer would come back. Now a new study shows the test accurately identifies many women with early stage cancer who can safely skip chemotherapy.

"Even though they did not get chemotherapy, this large group of women did very well," says Dr. Harold Burstein, a breast oncologist at the Susan F. Smith Center for Women's Cancers at the Dana-Farber. "The recurrence risk was less than two percent through five years of follow up."

The study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, involved more than 10,000 women with the most common type of breast cancer, early stage, hormone driven and no lymph nodes involved.

"Patients with a low score," says Dr. Burstein, "Like patients described in this report, have tumors that are very sensitive to hormone therapy and in whom we don't think chemo therapy does very much."

Based on the results of her test, doctors told Ann Louise she could avoid chemotherapy. It was a huge relief. "My doctor felt strongly that my risk for recurrence without chemo was low and so why burden myself and my body," explains Puopolo. Ann Louise says she is feeling great and after five years, her cancer has not come back.

The test typically costs about $4,000 and many insurance companies do cover it.