"Low" Intermediate Oncotype Score

Euryale, Do you have a family history? Did you get a BRCA test done? Any other health issues? You could always get a second opinion. There are a couple of websites that give you a percentage risk based on the tumor pathology and treatment. Cancer-math and Predict come to mind. Maybe someone else will post about them also. You may also want to ask about getting the Mamma-print test done. Similar to the onco-test, but tests more genes and will give you a high or low recurrence risk. I didn't have one and had a 21 onco-score. We are all different, but chemo wasn't too bad for me. It wasn't a walk in the park, but very manageable with few SE's. There is a "window" of time, that is best to do chemo, if you are going to. I believe it is within 12 weeks of surgery...? Could be wrong. A question for your MO. Best wishes.

I had an Oncotype score of 19....I do understand your concerns....after meeting with my medical team (SO,MO,RO plus my Internist) and reading the materials presented to me at that time 9/2013.....my decision was not to have chemo...no one on my medical team recommended chemo but would support my decision if I decided to undergo treatment. I do not have any regrets and celebrated being a " Four year Cancer Conqueror" on 9/26/2017....I believe I had the best Medical team in Michigan and I thank God everyday for their guidance. Everyone is different and it is a very difficult decision and I wish you the best.....

I have read that LVI is equal to having one positive node. It didn't specify focal or extensive. I understand your concerns and had the same experience with MD's being dismissive of concerns about LVI- until I found the right doctor who listened!

I got three opinions, until I felt really good about my decision. I did not have chemo despite grade 3 and LVI but my Oncotype was low. The discordance bothered me. I also had some uncertainty about Her2 with contradictory results. The third doctor who listened, retested my Oncotype and my Her2.  I did not do radiation, had BMX and doing Femara.

I honestly forget the window of time for deciding on chemo, once surgery is done....but don't want to add stress if you don't have much left. Still, talking to a second doctor who is more forthcoming about the LVI might be very reassuring. Genomic Health customer service can be really informative and they welcome calls too. You could ask them how LVI might affect interpretation of risk.

you could also ask for the mammaprint which has no intermediate score. None Of these tests consider LVI.

Euryale - I have the exact DX as you, but I had 5 nodes checked in my surgery. I'm presently waiting for my Oncotype DX results and quite nervous about it. Should know something in a week or or so. I decided that if it scores in that 19-30 intermediate area, that I would have the MammaPrint test done. I read that about 50% of those in the gray area, end up low risk with the Mammoprint test. One big reason I'm afraid of chemo is that I have heart disease and had a bypass 3 years ago. It's bad enough having to face radiation treatments. My surgery was recent, so still healing. That 19 is so borderline, but since you are much younger, you might want to consider the Mammoprint just to have peace of mind. If you do decide on chemo and I end up with a Oncotype score like yours, I'm going to follow you along. Best of luck to you