As per an international study, doctors can determine the risk of breast cancer recurrence or death with the help of a test that checks the expression of 70 genes related with breast cancer. The studies included as many as 307 patients and were followed for 13.6 years. The patients were categorized in to high- and low-risk groups based on their scores from the 70-gene signature test and standard risk-assessment using a software program.

Researchers said that the gene signature test proved to more useful and a good predictor of breast cancer recurrence and death, than the software. Apart from that, the research study concluded that the signature gene test included most of the prognostic information provided by traditional risk classifiers. This 70 gene signature test will be performed on a larger scale on around 6000 women who are at early stage of breast cancer. The trial will assess whether the test can improve identification of women who can safely be spared adjuvant chemotherapy.

As per a scientist at Netherlands Cancer Institute in Amsterdam, “These results indicate that the gene signature adds independent prognostic information”

These findings were published in the Sept. 6 issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.