NICE has published draft guidance from their Diagnostics Assessment Programme on four tests used to guide decisions about the use of chemotherapy in women with early breast cancer.
The four tests evaluated in the draft guidance measure the presence of multiple markers within the tumour that may indicate how the tumour is likely to progress. Used in conjunction with other available information such as tumour size and grade, they aim to improve the targeting of chemotherapy in breast cancer by improving the stratification and identification of patients who are most likely to benefit from chemotherapy. The rationale is based on the knowledge that certain biological features of cancers may indicate an increased likelihood of rapid growth and metastatic potential.

The draft guidance recommends that the IHC4 test is used in a research setting to collect evidence about the reproducibility of the test and important outcomes associated with the prognostic ability of the test and to determine the ability of IHC4 to guide clinical decision-making in patients with early breast cancer. It also highlights that it has not been able to support the routine use of the Oncotype DX, MammaPrint or Mammostrat tests in women with oestrogen receptor positive, lymph node negative and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 negative early breast cancer.

The consultation period ends on 24th February 2012.

Please refer to link below for further information.