For providers
Interpreting results

How to read your patient's test results

Oncotype DX Breast Recurrence Score® test results are easy and straightforward to interpret. Explore the report below to learn more. 
A doctor and patient reviewing test results on a tablet.

Explore the report

The results report is broken down into three sections, each of which give you key insights into your patient’s condition based on their personal tumor biology. It reveals the likelihood that their cancer will return and how likely they are to benefit from chemotherapy.1-6
Node-negative
An illustrated card showing a test score of 9.

Score

The Recurrence Score result is based on the quantitative analysis of the expression of 21 genes within the patient’s tumor sample, and ranges from 0-100. The lower the score, the lower the likelihood of your patient's cancer coming back somewhere else in their body if they take endocrine therapy alone and the higher the score, the higher the likelihood of your patient's cancer coming back. As their score increases, the magnitude of chemotherapy benefit also increases.1-3,5
An illustrated card showing a 4% distance recurrence risk at 5 years.

Prognosis

This is your patient’s individualized risk of distant recurrence when treated with endocrine therapy alone.1,5*
An illustrated card showing group average absolute chemotherapy benefit.

Prediction

The Group Average Absolute Chemotherapy Benefit shows the average reduction in distant recurrence risk when chemotherapy is added to endocrine therapy, for all ages within the specified Recurrence Score range.3,5*

* This is a sample report of a node-negative patient based on the TAILORx trial or the NSABP B-20 study.3,5

Node-negative report sample
A sample report displaying hypothetical test results.
Node-positive
An illustrated card showing a test score of 16.

Score

The Recurrence Score result is based on the quantitative analysis of the expression of 21 genes within the patient’s tumor sample, and ranges from 0-100. The lower the score, the lower the likelihood of your patient's cancer coming back somewhere else in their body if they take endocrine therapy alone and the higher the score, the higher the likelihood of your patient's cancer coming back. As their score increases, the magnitude of chemotherapy benefit also increases.2,4,6
An illustrated card showing a 6% distance recurrence risk at 5 years.

Prognosis

This is your patient’s individualized risk of distant recurrence when treated with endocrine therapy alone. 2,4,6*
An illustrated card showing group average absolute chemotherapy benefit.

Prediction

The Group Average Absolute Chemotherapy Benefit shows the average reduction in distant recurrence risk when chemotherapy is added to endocrine therapy, for all ages within the specified Recurrence Score range.4,6*

* This is a sample report for a premenopausal node-positive patient based upon data from RxPONDER.6

Node-positive report sample
A sample report displaying hypothetical test results.

How a report is generated

The Oncotype DX Breast Recurrence Score test analyzes the expression of 21 genes in tumor tissue obtained at the time of core biopsy or surgical excision.1,7
A chart showing a breakdown of the 21 genes included in the Assay.

Gain greater insight with the RSClin® Tool

By integrating the Recurrence Score result with clinical and pathological features, the RSClin Tool offers additional insights to help inform treatment decisions and provide individualized estimates of distant recurrence and absolute chemotherapy benefit, particularly in cases where further clarity is needed.8-11,†
A doctor seated at a desk looking at his laptop.

Ordering a test for your patients is fast and easy

Order tests, access results, and receive updates through our Provider Hub.

Have questions?

Call us at 1 866-662-6897.

References

  1. Paik S, Shak S, Tang G, et al. A multigene assay to predict recurrence of tamoxifen-treated, node-negative breast cancer. N Engl J Med. 2004;351(27):2817-2826.
  2. Dowsett M, Cuzick J, Wale C, et al. Prediction of risk of distant recurrence using the 21-gene recurrence score in node-negative and node-positive postmenopausal patients with breast cancer treated with anastrozole or tamoxifen: a TransATAC study. J Clin Oncol. 2010;28(11):1829-1834.
  3. Paik S, Tang G, Shak S, et al. Gene expression and benefit of chemotherapy in women with node-negative, estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer. J Clin Oncol. 2006;24(23):3726-3734.
  4. Albain KS, Barlow WE, Shak S, et al. Prognostic and predictive value of the 21-gene recurrence score assay in postmenopausal women with node-positive, oestrogen-receptor-positive breast cancer on chemotherapy: a retrospective analysis of a randomised trial. Lancet Oncol. 2010;11(1):55-65.
  5. Sparano JA, Gray RJ, Makower DF, et al. Adjuvant chemotherapy guided by a 21-gene expression assay in breast cancer. N Engl J Med. 2018;379(2):111-121. 
  6. Kalinsky K, Barlow WE, Gralow JR, et al. 21-gene assay to inform chemotherapy benefit in node-positive breast cancer. N Engl J Med. 2021;385(25):2336-2347.
  7. Jakubowski DM, Bailey H, Abran J, et al. Molecular characterization of breast cancer needle core biopsy specimens by the 21-gene Breast Recurrence Score test. J Surg Oncol. 2020;122(4):611-618.
  8. Sparano JA, Crager MR, Tang G, et al. Development and validation of a tool integrating the 21-gene recurrence score and clinical-pathological features to individualize prognosis and prediction of chemotherapy benefit in early breast cancer. J Clin Oncol. 2021;39(6):557-564.
  9. Sparano JA, Crager M, Gray RJ, et al. Clinical and genomic risk for late breast cancer recurrence and survival. NEJM Evid. 2024;3(8):EVIDoa2300267.
  10. Sparano JA, Crager M, Gray RJ, et al. Update of RSClin tool with extended TAILORx follow-up and development and validation of a new tool for risk of late distant recurrence. Presented at: SABCS 2023; December 5-9, 2023; San Antonio, TX. Abstract PO1-02-02.
  11. Pusztai L, Hoag JR, Albain KS, et al. Development and validation of the RSClinN+ Tool to predict prognosis and chemotherapy benefit for hormone receptor-positive, node-positive breast cancer. J Clin Oncol. 2025;43(8):919-928.
  1. These tools are intended to assist healthcare professionals (HCPs) by providing individualized risk estimates to help support treatment decisions for patients with HR+, HER2−, node-negative and node-positive (1-3 positive nodes), early-stage invasive breast cancer diagnosis. They are not medical devices and have not been reviewed, cleared, or approved by the FDA. The tools, used at the physician’s discretion, offer individualized risk estimates based on clinical trial data summarized in published literature, providing information that supports clinical decision-making but does not replace or direct the HCP's judgment.

    The tools integrate clinical and pathological information with Oncotype DX Breast Recurrence Score® test results to generate individualized risk estimates intended to help inform, but not determine, clinical decisions. They are provided exclusively to HCPs as part of the laboratory-developed test (LDT) offering. HCPs must independently review and interpret the information, considering patient-specific factors, clinical guidelines, and their own professional judgment before making any medical decisions.

Oncotype DX, Oncotype DX Breast Recurrence Score, Breast Recurrence Score, and Recurrence Score are registered trademarks of Genomic Health, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Exact Sciences Corporation. Exact Sciences is a registered trademark of Exact Sciences Corporation. All other trademarks are the properties of their respective owners.

The Oncotype DX Breast Recurrence Score test was developed, and the performance characteristics validated by Genomic Health, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Exact Sciences Corporation following College of American Pathologists (CAP) and Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) regulations. The Oncotype DX Breast Recurrence Score test is performed at the Genomic Health Redwood City clinical laboratory. Exact Sciences clinical laboratories are accredited by CAP, certified under CLIA regulations, and qualified to perform high-complexity clinical laboratory testing. This test has not been cleared or approved by the US Food and Drug Administration or other notified regulatory authority.