You have breast cancer

This diagnosis comes as a big shock. Luckily it has been discovered at an early stage. Along with your physicians and nearest and dearest you will be able to choose which treatment plan is right for you.

How aggressive is your tumour?

This is the most vital question at this stage. The more accurate the answer to this question is, the more precisely your physician will be able to choose the most suitable therapy for you. A therapy which will get rid of the cancer once and for all, so that it will not recur. Once your tumour has been removed, the uncertainty still remains.

Will the cancer recur?

MammaPrint will enable your physician to determine more accurately what the chances are of the disease recurring. The MammaPrint test is very different to other diagnostic tests which are carried out at a hospital. You must therefore inform your physician prior to surgery that you want to have the MammaPrint test performed. This is important. Your physician will then be able to ensure that a small piece of tumour tissue is stored correctly, so that the MammaPrint test can be performed. If your tumour has already been surgically removed it is usually no longer possible to perform a MammaPrint test. Most hospitals do not store tumour tissue in such a way that a MammaPrint test can still be performed.

MammaPrint, tailor made diagnosis

MammaPrint gives a clear indication of the risks inherent in your breast cancer. This will enable you and your physician to make a more informed decision regarding the best type of therapy for your individual type of breast cancer. Does your type of breast cancer have a low risk of metastasis? In this case you could discuss with your physician whether supplementary chemotherapy treatment could be dropped. If the MammaPrint result is 'high risk', it is highly likely that chemotherapy treatment will be necessary. This treatment will be able to increase your chances of survival. MammaPrint provides the information you need, within ten working days. Because everyone is unique.

You are not alone

Nearly 46.000 women are diagnosed with breast cancer each year in the United Kingdom. Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer and around thousend women die of breast cancer every month in the UK. In the UK 1 in 9 women will develop breast cancer at some point in their lifetime.

Chemotherapy is invasive

Chemotherapy reduces the risk of cancer recurring. This is why to be on the safe side, chemotherapy is often prescribed. However, half of all patients with breast cancer receive chemotherapy which they do not really need, but whereby they do experience the side effects. A large number of women who have breast cancer at an early stage do not experience metastases. One or maximum two women out of five experience a recurrence of the cancer. Only these women in actual fact really need supplementary chemotherapy. MammaPrint assesses for each individual tumour whether there is a high or low risk of future metastasis. This is done by screening 70 genes which play a role in the formation of metastases. This will enable you and your physician to decide whether chemotherapy is really necessary

Which breast cancer treatment plan is right for you?

When you are first diagnosed with breast cancer, your doctor needs to establish if you are at risk for metastasis and your tumor recurring. Based on your individual risk of recurrence, whether or not your cancer has the potential to spread, your doctor will determine the best therapy for you. If you are at low risk for recurrence, hormone therapy alone may be recommended. Conversely, if you are at high risk, your doctor may recommend more aggressive treatment that may include chemotherapy. This distinction is crucial for determining the best possible treatment plan specifically for you.

Now you and your physician have an FDA-cleared test that can help make this vital determination.  MammaPrint provides a “Low Risk” or “High Risk” result for every patient tested. With MammaPrint there is no ambiguity about your individual risk, thereby helping you and your doctor determine your need for therapy.

MammaPrint can help your doctor to develop a treatment plan tailored precisely to you.

Information extracted from Agendia.com