NICE recommends Genomic Health’s breast cancer test

Diagnostic testing providerGenomic Health (NASDAQ: GHDX) has announced that the UK’s National Institute for Health and Care Excellence has issued its final guidance recommending OncotypeDX as the only multi-gene breast cancer test for use in clinical practice to guide chemotherapy treatment decisions for patients with early-stage, hormone receptor-positive, invasive breast cancer.

Consistent with leading international breast cancer treatment guidelines, NICE’s recommendation recognises the clinical validity of the Oncotype DX test and its ability to enable physicians and their patients to make more individualised decisions. The test also helps assess the likelihood that an individual woman’s breast cancer will return.

Steven Shak, executive vice president of research and development, Genomic Health, said: “Given NICE’s rigorous review process and its influence throughout the region, we believe this decision brings us an important step closer to achieving our mission to improve the quality of treatment decisions for cancer patients across Europe and around the world. Our extensive body of clinical evidence highlights the unique ability of our test to play a critical role in breast cancer treatment, while providing a positive impact on health systems worldwide.  Based on NICE’s recommendation, we will work with NHS healthcare providers and commissioners to provide broad access to the Oncotype DX test for UK patients.”