Does anyone know anything about Oncotype dx

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cejjmom
cejjmom Member Posts: 31
edited June 2014 in Managing Side Effects of Breast Cancer and Its Treatment

My oncologist told me this test came back as a 13 but I can't find any information about this test and what the results mean..does anyone know?

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  • weesa
    weesa Member Posts: 707
    edited August 2009

    Congratulations, according to the literature OncotypeDx sends along with your score (and I can't believe your onc. didn't give you a copy) 13 is in the low risk of recurrence range which goes from zero to 17.Many women in this range, depending on other circumstances, do not need chemo. Tell your onc. you want the literature that came with this score so you can interpret it for yourself.

    Geez...has anybody else ever thought their doctors made everything seem so mysterious?

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  • cejjmom
    cejjmom Member Posts: 31
    edited August 2009

    He told me I didn't need Chemo but want me to take Tomoxifen.  He told me my liver was in the middle range of metabolising tomoxifen.  I'm trying to decide what to do.  I had a bi lateral mastecomy and thought that would take care of this..I hate not completly understanding and trying to make decisions.

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  • idaho
    idaho Member Posts: 1,187
    edited August 2009

    If your cancer is estrogen fed you should at least try to take the tamoxifen.  Some women have no side effects or very little anyway... Peace and health to you.  Congrats on your onco score!   Tami

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  • lbrewer
    lbrewer Member Posts: 766
    edited August 2009

    Go to their web site.  It explains a lot.  I joined as a nures to see more!  The score gives you your recurrence rate, provided you take tamoxifin or arimidex.  A 13 is good.  I wish mine was!  Since BC is systemic, ( thorugh the body) a mastectomy is always a cure.  It can come back in other areas.  The theory is that excess estrogen fuels the development.  Tamoxifn blocks the cells from using the estrogen your body is making. 

    You should look into what has been found to interfere with tamo.  No sense taking it and then taking something else that limits it's effectiveness.

    I am so glad for you your score was so low.

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