Breast cancer patients have a new tool at their disposal at Stony Brook University Medical Center that may help determine if they can avoid the toxicity of chemotherapy after surgery. More than 30 percent of newly diagnosed patients may be eligible for TAILORx (Trial Assigning Individualized Options for Treatment[Rx]), a clinical trial sponsored by the National Cancer Institute (NCI). Stony Brook University Medical Center is the first site on Long Island to enroll breast cancer patients in the trial.
To qualify for TAILORx, candidates must be newly diagnosed with early stage disease that has been determined to respond well to hormone therapy. The method involves genetic profiling of cancer cells from tumor tissue, an analysis that simultaneously tests 21 genes linked to disease recurrence. The results of the genetic test determine if a patient is at low, medium, or high-risk for disease recurrence and help guide physicians in developing a personalized treatment plan for each patient, according to the research protocol.
Patients with a high breast cancer recurrence score will receive chemotherapy plus hormonal therapy, the standard form of care. Those with a low score will receive hormonal therapy alone, thus avoiding unnecessary toxicity from chemotherapy. Women with an intermediate score will be randomly assigned to receive hormonal therapy, with or without chemotherapy.
According to Theodore G. Gabig, M.D., Associate Director of Stony Brook University Cancer Center and Chief, Division of Hematology/Oncology, the results of this multi-site clinical trial will help breast cancer patients avoid unnecessary chemotherapy.
“This trial is an example of breast cancer research leading the way to a treatment approach that centers on molecular predictors rather than clinical predictors for adjuvant therapy,” says Dr. Gabig.
“The trial is also important because it is one of the first to use a personalized approach to treating breast cancer by integrating a specific molecular diagnostic test into clinical decision making,” adds Janice Lu, M.D., Ph.D., Director, Medical Breast Oncology and principal investigator of the study.
Sponsored by the NCI and coordinated by the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group, TAILORx is being conducted at more than 90 sites nationwide. For more information on TAILORx, call Stony Brook University Medical Center HealthConnect® at 631-444-4000.
