Impact of 70-Gene Signature Use on Adjuvant Chemotherapy Decisions in Patients With Estrogen Receptor-Positive Early Breast Cancer: Results of a Prospective Cohort Study

J Clin Oncol. 2017 Aug 20;35(24):2814-2819. doi: 10.1200/JCO.2016.70.3959. Epub 2017 Mar 13.

Abstract

Purpose Gene-expression profiles increasingly are used in addition to conventional prognostic factors to guide adjuvant chemotherapy (CT) decisions. The Dutch guideline suggests use of validated gene-expression profiles in patients with estrogen receptor (ER) -positive, early-stage breast cancer without overt lymph node metastases. We aimed to assess the impact of a 70-gene signature (70-GS) test on CT decisions in patients with ER-positive, early-stage breast cancer. Patients and Methods In a prospective, observational, multicenter study in patients younger than 70 years old who had undergone surgery for ER-positive, early-stage breast cancer, physicians were asked whether they intended to administer adjuvant CT before deployment of the 70-GS test and after the test result was available. Results Between October 1, 2013, and December 31, 2015, 660 patients, treated in 33 hospitals, were enrolled. Fifty-one percent of patients had pT1cN0, BRII, HER2-Neu-negative breast cancer. On the basis of conventional clinicopathological characteristics, physicians recommended CT in 270 (41%) of the 660 patients and recommended withholding CT in 107 (16%) of the 660 patients. For the remaining 43% of patients, the physicians were unsure and unable to give advice before 70-GS testing. In patients for whom CT was initially recommended or not recommended, 56% and 59%, respectively, were assigned to a low-risk profile by the 70-GS (κ, 0.02; 95% CI, -0.08 to 0.11). After disclosure of the 70-GS test result, the preliminary advice was changed in 51% of patients who received a recommendation before testing; the definitive CT recommendation of the physician was in line with the 70-GS result in 96% of patients. Conclusion In this prospective, multicenter study in a selection of patients with ER-positive, early-stage breast cancer, 70-GS use changed the physician-intended recommendation to administer CT in half of the patients.

Publication types

  • Multicenter Study
  • Observational Study

MeSH terms

  • Breast Neoplasms / drug therapy*
  • Breast Neoplasms / genetics*
  • Breast Neoplasms / metabolism
  • Breast Neoplasms / surgery
  • Chemotherapy, Adjuvant
  • Clinical Decision-Making / methods*
  • Cohort Studies
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Middle Aged
  • Prospective Studies
  • Receptors, Estrogen / biosynthesis*
  • Transcriptome

Substances

  • Receptors, Estrogen