The Power of Precision Medicine and Advocacy: Sabrina's Story with the Oncotype DX® Test

In 2011, Sabrina Mayhew, a 40-year-old mother of three, an emergency room nurse, and active runner, noticed an indentation in one of her breasts. Shock, disbelief, heartache… Sabrina was flooded with every emotion. With her strong science background, Sabrina knew that she should be examined by her doctor and needed to move forward with a plan of action but was at a loss as where to start.

Still feeling in denial, Sabrina went ahead and scheduled an appointment. The tests blurred together until Sabrina received a mammogram from a gynecologist. The results were inconclusive, leaving Sabrina to make the choice to have a biopsy, which revealed ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) a precancerous lesion affecting the cells lining the milk ducts in her right breast. Her surgery revealed invasive breast cancer in her right breast and Paget’s disease, a rare type of breast cancer, in her left breast.

Overwhelmed and searching for answers, Sabrina sought opinions from multiple oncologists about her next steps and potential treatments. Given her age and African American ethnicity, her first doctor recommended aggressive chemotherapy. A second oncologist also advised chemotherapy but proposed a different regimen. Unassured, Sabrina proceeded with plans to have a port placed for treatment. But before she could move forward, a third oncologist was recommended—one who introduced her to the Oncotype DX^® test. This test, which predicts the benefit of chemotherapy, provided Sabrina with the clarity she desperately needed to make an informed, confident decision about her care. The test, performed on three tissue samples, gave Sabrina a low Oncotype DX Breast Recurrence Score^® result of 10. Based on this result, the oncologist recommended a shorter course of radiation and tamoxifen, skipping chemotherapy entirely.

It took multiple appointments, doctors and treatment recommendations to find the care that would be appropriate for Sabrina. Reflecting on her journey, Sabrina shares, “This might have been the first real moment where I really stood up for myself and self-advocated. The whole experience was life-changing for me. Everybody wanted to give their opinion, but it was really something that I did on my own.”

Sabrina now works as a breast cancer clinical trial navigator, helping patients find suitable clinical trials. She is also on many non-profit boards and involved with multiple patient advocacy groups. Her message to patients is one of hope and strength. “You'll realize how strong you are and how fleeting life is. You can really come away with a lot of gratitude and a lot more joy in life. With the right mindset, you can use a breast cancer diagnosis to become your better self.”

New Comprehensive Review on Oncotype DX: Bridging the Gap in Breast Cancer Outcomes

Although cancer mortality has substantially declined in the US, there are significant racial and ethnic disparities in cancer outcomes. This disparity is particularly pronounced in breast cancer, as Black patients are nearly 40% more likely to die from breast cancer than white patients.¹ At Exact Sciences, we are dedicated to uncovering the root causes of breast cancer outcome disparities and ensuring that the Oncotype DX Breast Recurrence Score test delivers accurate, reliable results for all patients, regardless of race or ethnicity.

A recent review published in JAMA Oncology confirmed the utility of the Oncotype DX Breast Recurrence Score test across all racial and ethnic subgroups. Findings from a real-world SEER registry analysis of over 171,000 patients with breast cancer, together with this review, reaffirm the accuracy of the Oncotype DX Breast Recurrence Score test and reinforce the test’s predictive value for chemotherapy benefit.²

While genomic tests are valuable tools for treatment decisions, they do not fully capture the racial and ethnic factors, social determinants, and systemic inequities that drive disparities in breast cancer outcomes. To fulfill our mission of improving patient lives, we collaborate with global leaders and cooperative groups to advance research that uncovers and addresses the complex factors that contribute to these inequalities.

Sabrina’s story is a testament to the power of self-advocacy and the importance of genomic testing in guiding breast cancer treatment. By ensuring the Oncotype DX Breast Recurrence Score test remains a reliable and inclusive tool for all patients—regardless of race or ethnicity—Exact Sciences empowers women like Sabrina, and their care teams, with the insights needed to make more informed, personalized treatment decisions.

This story reflects one individual’s experience. Not every person will have the same treatment, experience, outcome, or result. Talk to your health care provider to determine whether the Oncotype DX test may be right for you. For more information, talk to your health care provider or visit exactsciences.com.

1. Giaquinto AN, Sung H, Miller KD, et al. Breast Cancer Statistics, 2022. CA Cancer J Clin. Nov 2022;72(6):524-541. doi:10.3322/caac.21754

2. Diego et al. Updated SEER database study of 21-gene assay to assess breast cancer-specific mortality and benefit of chemotherapy by race and ethnicity.  Presented at ASCO 2024.