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Updated: Jun 30, 2025
Optimization of a Multiplex RNA-based Expression Assay Using Breast Cancer Archival Material
Published on: August 1, 2018
Is Oncotype DX testing informative for breast cancers with low ER expression? A retrospective review from a biomarker
John Loggie1, Penelope J Barnes1, Michael D Carter1
1Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Dalhousie University, 5788 University Ave, Halifax, NS, B3H 1V8, Canada.
Purpose:
It remains unclear whether patients with HER2-negative, low-estrogen receptor (ER-low)-positive early breast cancer (BC) benefit from Oncotype DX® (ODX) testing.
Methods:
We conducted a retrospective review of cases referred for ODX testing over a seven-year period from a breast biomarker testing referral center (n = 854). For each case, we recorded the ODX Recurrence Score (RS) along with percentage of ER nuclear positivity and staining intensity on immunohistochemistry. Our criteria for ER-low was defined as ≤10% cells with nuclear positivity and/or weak intensity of staining. Slides from all ER-low cases were reviewed and the reported ODX ER gene scores were recorded. We randomly selected a comparator group of 56 patients with ER > 10% positivity and non-weak staining intensity (ER-high).
Results:
We identified 27 cases (3.2%) that met our criteria for ER-low. Of these, 92.6% had a high RS (>25), and 7.4% had a RS of 25. All cases with ≤10% ER nuclear positivity had a high RS. Most ER-low cases (85.2%) had ODX quantitative ER gene scores in the negative range, whereas all (100%) ER-high cases had positive ER gene scores.
Conclusion:
ODX does not appear to add significant additional information to inform treatment decisions for most patients with ER-low BC. Incorporating weak ER staining intensity in addition to low percentage of nuclear positivity identifies about twice as many ER-low patients, although with reduced specificity for high RS. Our study supports the contention that most ER-low early BC should be regarded similarly to ER-negative BC.
