Findings were similar across most subgroups. But analyses suggested that women aged 50 years and younger having a recurrence score of 16-25 did fare better when they received chemotherapy. “Though exploratory from a statistical perspective, this is a highly clinically relevant observation,” he maintained. “It suggests ... that chemotherapy should be spared with caution in this subgroup, after a careful discussion of potential benefits and risks in a shared decision process.”
In other findings, analyses of the trial’s nonrandomized groups confirmed excellent outcomes among women with a low recurrence score (defined as 0-10) given endocrine therapy alone, and at the other end of the spectrum, need for a more aggressive approach, including chemotherapy, among women with a high recurrence score (defined as 26-100).
Ultimately, application of the recurrence score allowed 69% of the entire trial population to skip chemotherapy: all of those women with a score of 0-10 (16% of the trial population), those older than 50 years with a score of 11-25 (45%), and those aged 50 years or younger with a score of 11-15 (8%).
“Although this trial was designed in 2003, it was designed with the goal of addressing one of the themes at this 2018 meeting, expanding the reach of precision medicine,” Dr. Sparano pointed out. “It also embodies the core values of ASCO: By providing the highest level of evidence, it can have a direct and immediate impact on the care of our patients.”