LOS ANGELES, Dec 13 (Reuters) - Genomic Health Inc (GHDX.O: Quote,
Profile, Research) said on Thursday its genetic test can help predict when
chemotherapy is likely to benefit women with breast cancer that has spread to
the lymph nodes.
Genomic Health's Oncotype DX test measures the activity of several
cancer-related genes to generate a "recurrence score" that can help assess a
patient's risk for recurrence and predict how well the patient will respond to
chemotherapy.
Researchers ran the test on hundreds of tissue samples from a breast cancer
trial that began in the late 1980s. The study also used survival data from the
prior trial.
Results showed that the test could be an aid in deciding when to give
chemotherapy to tamoxifen-treated, post-menopausal women with so-called estrogen
receptor positive breast cancer that has invaded the lymph notes, researchers
said in a presentation at the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium.
Government insurance plans, as well as many private insurers, already cover the
test for early-stage breast cancer patients.
Shares in Genomic Health were off 18 cents, or 0.8 percent, to $23.05 in midday
Nasdaq trade. (Reporting by Lisa Baertlein, editing by Gerald E. McCormick)
