Molecular Profiling in Early ER + Breast Cancer to Aid Systemic Therapy Decisions

Curr Oncol Rep. 2023 May;25(5):491-500. doi: 10.1007/s11912-023-01377-6. Epub 2023 Mar 2.

Abstract

Purpose of review: Clinical decisions for (neo)adjuvant treatment in early breast cancer (eBC) have been based mostly on clinical factors over the last decades. We have reviewed development and validation of such assays in the HR + /HER2 eBC and discuss possible future directions in this field.

Recent findings: Increasing knowledge about the biology of hormone-sensitive eBC, based on the precise and reproducible multigene expression analysis, has led to a significant change in the treatment pathways and reduction of overtreatment in particular by chemotherapy in HR + /HER2 eBC with up to 3 positive lymph nodes based on results from several retrospective-prospective trials used several genomic assays and in particular prospective trials (TAILORx, RxPonder, MINDACT, and ADAPT used OncotypeDX® and Mammaprint®). Precise evaluation of tumor biology together with endocrine responsiveness assessment appears as promising tools for individualized treatment decisions together with clinical factors and menopausal status in early hormone-sensitive/HER2-negative breast cancer.

Keywords: Genomic assays; Hormone-sensitive breast cancer; Prognostic markers.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Breast Neoplasms* / drug therapy
  • Breast Neoplasms* / genetics
  • Breast Neoplasms* / pathology
  • Chemotherapy, Adjuvant / methods
  • Female
  • Hormones / therapeutic use
  • Humans
  • Prospective Studies
  • Receptor, ErbB-2 / genetics
  • Receptor, ErbB-2 / metabolism
  • Retrospective Studies

Substances

  • Hormones
  • Receptor, ErbB-2