1. What is the EndoPredict test?
2. Who is EndoPredict for?
3. Why is it used?
4. How does it work?
5. EndoPredict results
6. Availability and cost
1. What is the EndoPredict test?
EndoPredict is a test that predicts how likely breast cancer is to spread to somewhere in the body within 10 years in people who will be taking hormone therapy for at least five years.
2. Who is EndoPredict for?
The test is suitable for people recently diagnosed with early stage breast cancer that:
- has not spread to the lymph nodes under the arm
- is oestrogen receptor positive
- is HER2 negative
The test may also be considered for some people whose breast cancer affects one to three lymph nodes under the arm.
The test isn’t suitable for people whose breast cancer is oestrogen receptor negative or HER2 positive.
3. Why is it used?
Your specialist may consider recommending the EndoPredict test to help decide if other treatments, particularly chemotherapy, are needed.
Chemotherapy may be given after surgery to reduce the risk of breast cancer coming back in future.
4. How does it work?
The test is done on a small amount of breast cancer tissue removed during your surgery and doesn’t involve having any more tissue removed. The tissue is sent to a laboratory, usually outside your local hospital and sometimes in Germany, where the test is carried out. The test looks at groups of genes found in breast cancer and features of the breast cancer to produce a score.
The results are given separately from your pathology report and are sent to your specialist usually within 7 to 10 days.
If your specialist has recommended you have hormone therapy before surgery, the test must be done on cancer cells removed before you start hormone therapy.
5. EndoPredict results
The test gives a score, known as an EPclin Risk score, that is reported as either ‘low’ or ‘high’ risk.
A low risk score means it’s unlikely the breast cancer will spread to somewhere else in the body in the next 10 years. Most people with a low risk score won’t need chemotherapy.
A high risk score means it’s more likely the breast cancer will spread to somewhere else in the body in the next 10 years. Chemotherapy is recommended for most people with a high risk score.
Your specialist will use the score, along with other information about your breast cancer, to help decide what treatment to recommend.
6. Availability and cost
If EndoPredict is suitable for you, it’s usually available on the NHS across the UK.
Most private healthcare companies will also cover the cost of the test.
You can also pay for the test yourself, but your specialist team will need to order the test for you and will be sent the results to discuss with you. It costs around £1,500.