Development of a genetic database resource for monitoring of breast cancer patients at risk of physical and psychological complications

Abstract

Although recent advances in treatment for breast cancer have improved survival rates, psychological morbidity remains a significant concern. Depression and anxiety are common complications and are exacerbated by the prospect of chemotherapy and the potential for tumour recurrence. A newly developed MammaPrint Prescreen Algorithm (MPA) to identify patients eligible for the 70-gene profile has allowed ~60% of early-stage breast cancer patients to forego chemotherapy due to greater confidence in long-term survival. The need to monitor health outcomes in breast cancer patients and obtain prospective data has been identified as an important priority.