About OPTIMA
Why are we doing this study?
Breast cancer patients have asked us to do this research. They tell us that the single most important question in breast cancer is: “Can you improve the way you decide who needs chemotherapy, so that you treat fewer patients by intelligently choosing those who will definitely benefit, rather than giving chemotherapy to everyone”
For fifty years, doctors have made decisions about chemotherapy based on simple factors: the size of the cancer, if it has spread to nearby lymph nodes and what it looks under a microscope. But this is old technology, and we know that it has serious limitations. Many patients receive chemotherapy who do not need it.
Chemotherapy carries risks and can lead to a number of short and long term side effects. Some patients will do just as well with hormone tablets alone. They may benefit by getting on to hormones quickly and not wasting time with chemotherapy.
Over the past few years, laboratory scientists across the world have developed new tests which probe the deep biology of the breast cancer, far beyond what can be seen with a microscope.
This new technology is transforming the way we think about this disease and the evidence is stacking up to suggest that it can pick out patients who need chemotherapy (and also identify those patients who would get no benefit from this treatment).
If we can bring these tests into the clinic, we may be able to reduce our use of chemotherapy by up to 80% without having any effect on rates of successful treatment, which would spare many patients from going through the ordeal of this treatment.
Any time a new technology appears in medicine, it always has to be tested in a large trial to ensure that it can safely and effectively be used in everyday care – the reason for OPTIMA.
What is the Prosigna test?
The Prosigna test uses a specialist machine to look at a sample of breast cancer tissue. The sample is taken from tissue removed when you had a biopsy or surgery. The test looks at 50 genes in the cancer cells and how they work.
Can I have the Prosigna test without joining the OPTIMA study?
It depends:
- Tests like Prosigna are routinely used by the NHS for all patients whose cancer has not spread to lymph nodes.
- These tests are also available on the NHS for some patients where the cancer is just beginning to appear in lymph nodes under the arm.
But doctors do not yet know how reliable the test is for younger patients, more active looking tumours, or if there is more spread into the lymph nodes. For these patients, the test is not available on the NHS, because more research is necessary before it can be confidently used. This is why the NIHR has set up and funded the OPTIMA study.
Why do we need to test the Prosigna test? (I’ve been told it works, so why test it?)
Whilst available evidence looks promising, we need a large scale study to collect more evidence about the effectiveness of the test for patients where the cancer has spread to the lymph nodes.
OPTIMA Publicity
BBC Breakfast
Full feature with patient Aileen Pritchard
BBC-Breakfast-OPTIMA-Aileen-interview-310526.mp4
BBC News
Two-minute segment shown on several BBC News programmes across the weekend, featuring Prof Stein and patient Aileen Pritchard
300526- OPTIMA-BBC-news-clip.mp4
BBC Radio 4
PM with Caroline Wyatt (from 20 mins 11 secs)
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m002x3qq
LBC
Ali Miraj (from 2 hrs 38 mins 16 secs)
https://www.globalplayer.com/catchup/lbc/uk/episodes/BUqMz2eTGU5eX7aMWTyDnNyRW/
Times Radio
Late night headlines – Henry Bonsu (from 2 hrs 39 mins 10 secs)
https://www.thetimes.com/radio/show/20260529-33308/2026-05-29
Also featured heavily in hourly news bulletins across all BBC radio stations over the weekend.
Online stories (top tier)
Guardian
Groundbreaking genomic test could spare millions of breast cancer patients chemotherapy
Guardian (2)
‘Like Christmas’: woman’s relief after test finds she can skip chemotherapy
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2026/may/29/breast-cancer-chemotherapy-genomic-test-case-study
Express
Breakthrough breast cancer test may help thousands of women avoid chemo
https://www.express.co.uk/life-style/health/2211353/breast-cancer-chemotherapy-gene-test
Times (£)
Genetic test could offer breast cancer patients chance to skip chemo
The Sun
CHEM-NO-THERAPY Thousands of women could be spared chemo for breast cancer without reducing the odds of survival
Telegraph (£)
Breast cancer patients could be spared chemotherapy
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/05/29/breast-cancer-patients-chemotherapy/
BBC News
Millions of breast cancer patients could safely avoid chemotherapy, study suggests
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c2325j0xk1vo
ITV
Breast cancer patient spared chemotherapy through groundbreaking trial says it felt ‘like Christmas’
Independent
Millions of breast cancer patients could avoid chemotherapy with new genome test
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/health/breast-cancer-chemotherapy-genome-test-b2986269.html
Independent (2)
Breakthrough gene test could help many women with breast cancer avoid chemotherapy
Daily Mail
Millions of breast cancer patients could be spared chemotherapy thanks to groundbreaking gene test
iNews
Breast cancer breakthrough: many women to be spared from chemotherapy
https://inews.co.uk/news/breast-cancer-breakthrough-many-spared-from-chemotherapy-4448251
The Conversation
Many women with breast cancer could avoid chemotherapy – what you need to know about the genetic test
Daily Record
Thousands of women could avoid chemo with breakthrough breast cancer test
https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/health/thousands-women-could-avoid-chemo-37225763
Reuters
Veracyte genomic test identifies breast cancer patients who can skip chemo
International
Express US
Breast cancer gene test may help thousands of women avoid chemotherapy, study suggests
Times of India
Skip the chemo: Millions of breast cancer patients could be spared chemotherapy with groundbreaking genomic test
Deccan Herald (India)
Gene test can safely spare breast cancer patients of chemotherapy
The Hindu (India)
Veracyte genomic test identifies breast cancer patients who can skip chemo
Mint (India)
Many breast cancer patients can safely avoid chemotherapy with new gene test, say scientists
Daily Mirror (Sri Lanka)
Millions of breast cancer patients could safely avoid chemotherapy, study suggests
The Star (Kenya)
Millions of breast cancer patients could safely avoid chemotherapy, study suggests
The West Australian
Breast cancer: Australian-led trial finds way to spare thousands of patients from chemotherapy
Trade press & miscellaneous
- Earth.com
- Interesting Engineering
- Scienmag
- Business Wire
- Life Technology
- Pharma Phorum
- Medical Advice Network
- Drug Discovery World
- Doc Wire News
- Femtech World
- AOL
- Yahoo! News
- MSN
- ·PageGoo
