Forum Discussion
Oncotype
I was diagnosed with stage 2 in December and decided to have to Oncotype test to determine whether chemo would be of benefit. I'm 44, have 2 young girls and I just didn't want chemo unless there was going to be a benefit. We used my car money so am stuck with my old banger for a while but my score came back in at 20 so the benefit of chemo over tamoxifen alone is < 1%. I am so relieved and overwhelmed - but in a good way! I also feel really shitty this test costs 5k and there are lots of women having to go through chemo when 5k might tell them they don't need it. I'm thinking of writing to my local MP John Alexander for what it's worth but for now while I wait for radiotherapy and tamoxifen I'm taking this great news and feeling very happy :)
58 Replies
- When I paid for mine I wrote to my local member who was John Alexander and he sent it to the Health Minister and I had some scientist mansplain to me why it wasn't funded - I am a scientist myself so found it a tad insulting! Now that we have changed to Labor I may send the letter again. My surgeon said that in America the test is free but you have to pay for chemo. I am happy to share my letter if you would like to send something to your local MP. My surgeon says you don't know when that chip is going to turn into a crack so keep at it!!
- @Pommy8 and @BlackWidow I think it is beyond disgusting you have to pay for that test! and I too have had private health cover for many years. I was lucky with my Surgeon and Plastic Surgeon working in the public system as well, so he put me through there so I had no out of pocket for reconstruction. Its a slap in the face that it is considered cosmetic and they do need to really look at it. As if a diagnosis isnt traumatic enough for anyone! x
- For many years I have paid a heap for private health insurance yet I was quoted over $20,000 for a reconstruction and I pay out of pockets for the surgeon, anaesthetics, medications, tests, etc where if I had been in the public system it would have all been free. WTF ?
By the way, my husband and I paid the same as a family of 6 for private health insurance for 50 years.
Someone somewhere needs to work all this out. - Disgusting you have to pay for this test.
I've just handed my $5000 today . - Thank you x
- @Pommy8 mine was stage 2, grade 2, no node involvement. Ki67 was 9%
From memory my EpCLIN score was 2.4 (2.7 is cut off, anything above that and they start to advise chemo) - @Pommy8 No not all grade 3 requires chemo, I believe it's a little more complex. They only recommend the test I think if it's in a grey area maybe? Happy for someone to jump in.
It could be too as it's stage 2 plays a part. The oncotype test that looks at the activity of certain genes in your tumor to provide personalized information not available ...
M x - My concern do all grade 3 need chemo and if so why suggest the test if so ?
- Yes grade 3 so surprised it's a choice for chemo .
- @Pommy8
Hi there, I've had BC twice 2011 and 2015, both times I didn't get a Ki score. My 2nd bout though I was stage 2 grade 3, so I had to have chemo based more on the grade than the stage. He said I had grade 3 aggressive. You have stage 1 which is early however the grade is 3 and that's what they would be looking at in terms of needing chemo or not. All the best with the test and theyre advice.
M x
