Globally, breast cancer remains the most common cancer among women and the leading cause of cancer deaths among women worldwide. The World Health Organization (WHO) points out that not only are around 8.2 million women living with a history of breast cancer worldwide, but around 2.4 million new cases of breast cancer are diagnosed each year worldwide, according to the American Cancer Society report.
Being diagnosed with breast cancer is always a shock, but imagine your doctor telling you they “got it all” after removing the tumor! There is usually relief, until the next difficult questions arrive. And this is an important one: will I need chemotherapy, even when the cancer is gone? Chemotherapy can save lives, but it’s no fun. Most people imagine months of harsh treatments, hair loss, fatigue and nausea, and seeing their immune system take a hit. The truth is that not all breast cancer patients actually benefit from chemotherapy. For some, this is essential. For others, it doesn’t make much difference to their chances of survival.
Now a major international study sheds light on who really needs chemotherapy and who could safely avoid it. Researchers at University College London (UCL) have discovered encouraging evidence using a gene expression test called Prosigna. Their data suggest that this test can detect some patients with early-stage breast cancer who can avoid chemotherapy, without loss of safety or long-term results. The results, announced in October 2026, have brought to the fore two major hopes: better tailored cancer care and thousands of patients spared from unnecessary treatments. And let’s face it, there’s a bonus for healthcare budgets too.
However, it’s important to note that we’re not talking about eliminating chemotherapy for breast cancer – not by a long shot. And no one should decide their treatment based on a genetic test alone. What’s really changing is how oncologists choose treatments, focusing less on a “one-size-fits-all” formula and more on what actually causes the tumor in each person.
Here’s a closer look at what this new research actually discovered, how genetic testing works, who it’s really for, and what it means for real-world breast cancer treatment plans.
Gn Health
