What were we asked to look at

The Scottish Health Technologies Group (SHTG) was asked to evaluate the clinical effectiveness, cost effectiveness, safety and patient experience of tumour profiling tests for guiding chemotherapy decisions for people with early stage breast cancer.  

Why is it important

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women in Scotland accounting for 28.0% of all cancers diagnosed. There were 4,297 new cases of breast cancer diagnosed in 2020 in women in Scotland and incidence is increasing over time.¹

Breast cancer is more common in affluent areas, but for women diagnosed with breast cancer survival is lower in more deprived areas. Breast cancer incidence and mortality is higher in the UK and other western countries than in the rest of the world.¹

People with early and locally advanced breast cancer may need further treatment (adjuvant treatment) after they have surgery. Some people with invasive breast cancer will not need adjuvant chemotherapy. Tumour profiling tests offer a way to guide chemotherapy decisions. 

Quality performance indicators for breast cancer (published in August 2019) includes a new performance indicator for genomic tumour-profiling.²

1. https://www.scotpho.org.uk/health-wellbeing-and-disease/cancer-breast/key-points/

2. https://www.healthcareimprovementscotland.org/our_work/cancer_care_improvement/cancer_qpis/quality_performance_indicators.aspx 

Referred by  

The Scottish Cancer Network (hosted by NHS National Services Scotland)