This new genomic test is designed for patients diagnosed with early-stage HER2+ breast cancer, which accounts for about 20% of all breast cancer diagnoses. (Oncotype DX tests, which have been around for years, target the 80% with HER2- breast cancer.) HER2DX analyzes 27 genes and clinical features to predict the effectiveness of treatment options and the risk of recurrence. The test supports better outcomes for early-stage patients, but it could also lead to more personalized approaches for late-stage breast cancers. “This is the first genomic test to measure the immune system,” says Aleix Prat, chief scientific officer of Barcelona-based Reveal Genomics. “This opens new opportunities.” For now, the test is available worldwide, but must be processed in a Spanish lab.
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