Women diagnosed with the most common form of breast cancer may be getting unnecessary chemotherapy, according to a breast cancer surgeon.
Dr. Deepa Halaharvi is now part of a national campaign for informing women of their say in whether the treatment is best for them.
Dr. Halaharvi, a breast cancer surgeon at OhioHealth and breast cancer survivor says the Oncotype DX test is critical to giving patients the most information about their breast cancer and treatment options.
“I’m not saying chemotherapy is bad,” Dr. Halaharvi said. It is optimal for women to understand they can ask their health care providers for a review of the best options for treating their breast cancer.
The Oncotype DX is a specific test for patients diagnosed with early-stage — one or two — hormone receptor positive breast cancer. It is scored zero to 100, based on the biology of your tumor.