Health Diaries > The Breast Cancer Blog
February 7, 2007
MammaPrint Genetic Test for Breast Cancer Recurrence Approved
The FDA has approved a genetic test called MammaPrint to detect possible recurrence of early stage breast cancer down the road. The test may help doctors determine whether a woman needs chemotherapy in cases where the cancer has not spread.
However, there are those who have concerns about the test:
Lichtenfeld said he isn't convinced the test has a value in deciding if a woman should have chemotherapy or not. "We don't know, at this point, whether or not this is a test that should influence the decisions that women and their doctors should be making with regard to adjuvant therapy," he said.
Dr. Len Lichtenfeld is the deputy chief medical officer at the American Cancer Society.
