Hearing the words “You have breast cancer” can change everything in an instant. It’s an overwhelming moment—filled with uncertainty, hope, and countless decisions about surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, and recovery. Yet, even after treatment ends, a single, daunting question often remains in the mind-sometimes quietly, sometimes loud: “Could my cancer come back?”
This question—about the risk of recurrence—is deeply personal and often persistent, even when everything seems fine
At Agendia, our mission is to illuminate the path forward with precision, compassion, and personalization. Through advanced genomic insights, we aim to help each woman—and her care team—make informed, confident choices supported by science and empathy.
What Does “Recurrence” Mean?
Breast cancer recurrence means that cancer returns after treatment—either in the same breast (local recurrence), nearby lymph nodes (regional recurrence), or elsewhere in the body (distant or metastatic recurrence or stage IV disease). Many women never experience recurrence, but for those who do, knowing why it happens and how to predict it is essential.
The Science Behind Risk of Recurrence
Every woman is unique so is every breast cancer. Two people with the same stage and tumor size might have very different outcomes because their cancers behave differently at the biological or molecular level. Traditional clinical and/ or pathological features—like tumor size, lymph node involvement, and hormone receptor status—offer important clues, but genomic testing adds an additional layer of insight—revealing tumor biology in ways that help predict individual outcomes more precisely.
How Genomic Testing Helps
That’s where genomic testing comes in. It looks deeper into the tumor biology beyond the lens of a microscope. It measures the activity of specific genes that govern the underlying biology of the tumor. These insights can help predict the likelihood of recurrence and identify which treatments may provide the most benefit.
At Agendia, we offer two genomic tests designed to support personalized decision-making:
- MammaPrint®: Determines whether a tumor has a Low Risk or High Risk of distant recurrence.
- BluePrint®: Identifies the tumor’s molecular subtype—Luminal A, Luminal B, HER2-type, or Basal-type—to better align treatment with tumor biology.
With this information, care teams can support each woman in finding the treatment path that fits her—whether that’s safely scaling back therapy or moving forward with more aggressive care—while honoring the emotional weight of these decisions.
Why Understanding Your Risk Matters
Knowing your recurrence risk is more than a number—it brings clarity to your care plan.
A genomically low-risk result can offer peace of mind and support choosing less aggressive treatment, while a genomically higher-risk result can guide timely, more intensive therapy. In every case, informed knowledge by MammaPrint and BluePrint empowers treatment decisions grounded in science and empathy.
Moving Forward with Confidence
At Agendia, we believe that each person’s breast cancer journey is uniquely their own. Behind every genomic test result is a patient with hopes, fears, and a future worth protecting. That’s why our approach is both data-driven and deeply human—combining precision with empathy.
Because knowledge doesn’t just shape medical care—it brings reassurance, confidence, clarity, and hope.
See article via Sharsheret
