Oncotype-DX is a genetic test for breast cancer that predicts the risk of recurrence. It costs about $3,500 and is covered by the majority of U.S. health plans. The test determines, based on the patient’s genes and the genes of the cancer, the likelihood of the cancer coming back within 10 years. It can help the patient and oncologist figure out if they should treat the cancer with chemotherapy.
“Before this test existed, it really was a crapshoot. You had no idea,” says Dr. Robert Epstein, chief medical officer and president of Medco Health Solutions. “You knew you had to remove the tumor and have a little radiation. But do you really need chemotherapy for a little lumpectomy in stage one, or don’t you? For a lot of women, if you’ve got a 3% chance [of the cancer recurring] in 10 years, would you really go through the horrors of chemotherapy?”
