Breast Cancer Index test
The Breast Cancer Index reports two scores: how likely the cancer is to recur 5 to 10 years after diagnosis and how likely a woman is to benefit from taking hormonal therapy for a total of 10 years.
Research suggests the Breast Cancer Index test may eventually be widely used to help make treatment decisions based on the cancer's risk of coming back in a part of the body away from the breast (distant metastasis) within 10 years after diagnosis.
Right now, the Breast Cancer Index test is not approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Who’s eligible for the Breast Cancer Index test?
You may be eligible for the Breast Cancer Index test if:
- you were diagnosed with early-stage (stage I-III) breast cancer
- the cancer was hormone-receptor-positive and HER2-negative
- there was no cancer in your lymph nodes (lymph node-negative disease)
- you’ve been taking hormonal therapy for 4 to 5 years and want to know if taking hormonal therapy for more time will be beneficial
Research has shown that extending hormonal therapy for 5 more years — for a total of 10 years of hormonal therapy — can offer benefits for some women diagnosed with early-stage, hormone-receptor-positive, HER2-negative disease.
The Breast Cancer Index test is performed on preserved tissue that was removed during the original biopsy or surgery.
Because many women have troubling side effects, including hot flashes and joint pain, from hormonal therapy, they want to know if extending the time they take hormonal therapy is worth tolerating the side effects.
How does the Breast Cancer Index test work?
The Breast Cancer Index genomic test analyzes the activity of seven genes that can influence how likely the cancer is to come back 5 to 10 years after diagnosis, as well as how likely a woman is to benefit from 5 additional years of hormonal therapy.
The Breast Cancer Index test results have two scores:
- The BCI Prognostic score estimates how likely the cancer is to come back 5 to 10 years after diagnosis (late recurrence). Scores range from 0 to 10. Cancers with scores of 0 to 5 are classified as having low risk of late recurrence. Cancers with scores of 5.1 to 10 are classified as having a high risk of late recurrence.
- The BCI Predictive score estimates how likely a woman is to benefit from taking hormonal therapy for 5 more years for a total of 10 years. The results are reported as either low likelihood of benefit or high likelihood of benefit.
- Subtype Of
- Genomic tests
- Medical Conditions
- Breast cancer
Browse doctors performing Breast Cancer Index test
