I had a low Oncotype (12) but a high risk result on the BCI. Fortunately, it also said high benefit from continued use of antihormonals.

My Oncotype was low (11) and my BCI came back just barely in the high risk range at 5.2 (anything over 5.0 is high risk) but I came back as low benefit of continued hormonal therapy. I just finished 5 years of letrozole, but plan to continue for up to 10 years if I can....

Yes, it is done on the original tumor. I am not sure why more drs. do not use it in determining whether or not to continue on the antihormonals. My onco erroneously ordered the test for me shortly after diagnosis. It shouldn’t be done until you are close to five years on the drugs. However, my high result gave me incentive to get through any side effects and to not skip any doses.

Meg -

First off, WTF is with your oncologist making you a chemo appointment without even speaking with you??? That is just wrong. Particularly with a score of 24 at your age. While you are on the high end of low risk, you are definitely not in the "must have chemo" area. To me, you are 100% in the gray, "it's really up to you" zone, where your score is on the fence and it comes down to taking a good look at your own feelings about it, adding in the other factors of your life which would be affected, and making a considered decision. Your MO should be bringing you in and talking it out, not making the decision for you.

I just read this post and then found this abstract. I haven't read it fully and not sure I will understand it all when I do, but the researchers are comparing Oncotype DX and BCI.

Stratification of oncotype (ODX) Recurrence Score (RS) by Breast Cancer Index (BCI) and its relation to discordance.

https://ascopubs.org/doi/abs/10.1200/JCO.2019.37.15_suppl.e12025

Megoh

I went through something similar. The cancer center I have been going to sees things totally different. In my case I was initially told I only had a small tumor in my left breast and the MRI indicated my lymph nodes were clear. I am post menopausal and after my bilateral mastectomies I would consider taking tamoxifen.

All of that changed 4 days after my surgery.... the tumor in my breast was 11mm and had clear margins. They found a 7mm tumor in the sentinel node that did NOT have clear margins and the other 2 nodes were clear. The treatment plan was established without explaining the Oncotype DX results to me. 16 chemo treatments/ 33 radiation treatments and 10 years on hormone therapy.

During my chemo counseling session I asked the NP for my Oncotype test results and they were just handed to me. To my surprise it was a 15/100...My MO insists that the “protocol" is what was prescribed above and since it was in my nodes they always do chemo.

It happened that someone at church didn't need chemo and she had more lymph node involvement. Her score was 25/100. Why.....because she is 72 and I'm 58. But she had radiation and hormone therapy.

I do not regret doing the chemo because I know I have done everything I could do for it not to come back. This is just another point of view. Do what you think is best for you and your family.

A lot of the stats and treatment protocols use age 50 as a decision factor. This made things hard for me because I was diagnosed at 50! I am very healthy and want to live a long time. My other health stats said that my body was well under 50. I got treated as though I was under 50...aggressively.

I posted this for Megoh too because I understand her anger at her MO who was insensitive. However, that doesn't mean that he is recommending chemo treatment without justification. Don't throw the baby out with the bath water...Check it out.

that is how I feel, keepthefaith...we do the best we can given what we know...