Oncotype Dx test.

[greenbear]

I was going through old issues of the Readers Digest and found an article in the April 2011 issue titled Conquering Breast Cancer. Dr Sumeet Shah also features in this article. There is an interesting information in this article and I quote:

" An important development in the area of breast cancer is a test known as oncotype dx. This provides doctors with an accurate assessment indicating whether breast cancer is likely to recur. It can help the clinician decide whether administering chemotherapy would be necessary in early breast cancer. However, at Rs 1.76 lakhs, the procedure is still very expensive."

Is this true? Is this test available in India? I have not come across any oncologist suggesting the test. There may be cancer patients willing to do the test despite the cost. If it can give peace of mind why not?

[sumeet_shah Administrator]

greenbear, sorry for my delayed reply.

Oncotype DX can be done. The samples are sent to their labs in US by their representatives here.

Oncotype DX assesses certain genes in the tumour sample and gives an idea of the chance of recurrence. Following conditions have to be satisfied:

ER / PR Positive and HER2 Negative tumours only (not to be done for TNBC or HER2 positive tumours)

Nodes MUST be negative (not applicable for node positive). For node positive, chemo is a MUST

If a lady has a relatively smaller tumour size, which is ER positive / HER2 negative and node negative, and we are not too sure whether to give chemo or not, then we add Ki67 to this. This is a very crude way of decision making, but Ki67 costs some Rs. 700 and Oncotype DX costs more than 1.5 Lakhs! If Ki 67 is high (indicating a fast tumour turnover time), we definitely give chemo. If Ki 67 is low and other factors are favourable (No LVE / PNI / Lower grade tumour / Nodes negative etc...), we explain the situation to the patient and relatives and taking into factor the age of the patient, we counsel them about benefit of chemo and risks of it, for this age and stage, and then make a decision.

[greenbear in reply to sumeet_shah]

Thanks doctor.

[gowharshafi in reply to greenbear]

Contact me I can get you oncotype dx done with less than 1L rupees. My email: [e-mail]

[Hidden in reply to sumeet_shah]

Dear Dr.Sumeet Shah, I have been diagnosed with colon cancer and the tumor has been removed through surgery 3 weeks ago. Pathology report says M0 , N0. I understand with doctor discussion that it’s not spread to any lymph nodes. But still doctor advised me to go for chemo. I’m lot worried about side effects of Chemo. I would like to know whether Oncotype DX test can be done India. If so could you pls share the details ? Very much grateful for your help. Thanks

[manish_vkg TeamBCI]

Dear gowharshafi, i would like to request you, plz don't advertise overhere bcu this forum is used for discussion, knowledge and providing moral support..otherwise we have to block your account.

Thanks

Manish Gupta