Not All Women With Breast Cancer Will Need Chemotherapy

Nearly 60,000 women a year will benefit from a recent study which shows that not all women with breast cancer should undergo chemotherapy, according to an article in the New York Times. The women who don't benefit from chemotherapy are a subset of women with breast cancer who: 1) are in the early stages of breast cancer, 2) are sensitive to estrogen, 3) test positive for a protein called HER2, and most importantly, 4) have a mid-range score on a genetic test that looks for various genes involved in cancer recurrence. The genetic test, which is now widely available, costs about $3,000.

Cancer is complicated. The newest findings are part of an ongoing effort to fine-tune cancer treatment to each patient's specific situation, so that the patient receives the very best treatment while reducing the risks associated with unnecessary chemotherapy.