Pioneering breast cancer work could spare thousands of women undergoing chemotherapy
Thousands of women with breast cancer could be spared having to undergo chemotherapy thanks to pioneering work in Hywel Dda Health Board. Many women with early breast cancer currently have to decide whether they should go through chemotherapy following surgery. However, a new test is set to give them a much clearer idea of the risk and the benefit of chemotherapy. It has been developed at the Breast Unit at Prince Philip Hospital with the help of Singleton Oncology and the University of Swansea. The test looks at the pattern of gene expression in the breast cancer itself. During recent trials at Prince Philip Hospital nearly half of patients initially recommended both chemotherapy and endocrine therapy had their treatment recommendation changed to endocrine therapy alone. These women were not only spared the considerable inconvenience, risk and personal economic impact of chemotherapy but also the unknown long-term effects. The National Institute of Clinical Excellence (NICE) have p...