In 2018, breast cancer was the most commonly diagnosed cancer in Australia. A position it held until 2022. What’s more? Its occurrence has risen, with over two million cases detected annually worldwide.
Breast cancer could be fatal if not detected early—being the fifth most common cause of cancer-related death. That’s where genetic risk assessment company Genetic Technologies (ASX: GTG) comes in.
After a decade of research, the Company has developed a way to detect breast cancer earlier: The Comprehensive Breast and Ovarian HBOC Risk Test, published in a new research paper in the peer-reviewed journal Breast Cancer Research and Treatment. Using a simple saliva test and questionnaire, the test evaluates the risk of developing breast and/or ovarian cancer from a hereditary mutation or from the more common familial or sporadic cancer.
GTG’s CEO, Simon Morriss, said, “The publication of this data is a critical step to support our reimbursement strategy. The building list of supportive clinical data along with our budget impact model shows U.S. payers and insurers that the introduction of the easy-to-implement GeneType risk assessment test for breast cancer enables doctors to have increased visibility of at-risk women. The result being early detection in women and a reduction in the cost of expensive health care.”
Its risk test outperforms Gail’s five-year and IBISv7’s remaining lifetime breast cancer risk prediction models.
The Company undertook an extensive study conducted by the GTG Scientific Team in collaboration with researchers from Harvard Medical School (United States) and the University of Melbourne (Australia). The study compared GeneType’s simple breast cancer risk assessment against a complex model with more risk factors, i.e. Rosner, and two commonly used clinical models, i.e. Gail and IBIS. GeneType significantly outperformed both Gail and IBIS. It performed similarly to the Rosner detection model, but GeneType’s simplicity makes it a better pick for general practice.
During general medical practice and in mammography clinics, the risk assessment and detection process can be super lengthy. GeneType uses minimal data—a saliva sample and a brief questionnaire—to assess. It is a more attractive option for patients and healthcare professionals, saving them time, money and stress.
The paper used data from the Nurses’ Health Study, which included 121,700 female registered nurses aged 30–55. It consists of the most critical risk factors for breast cancer prediction: the polygenic risk score, mammographic density and family history.
It studied GeneType’s ability against the United States’ clinical guidelines to identify more women for whom chemoprevention or increased screening would improve outcomes. Meds that can reduce the risk of breast cancer exist but are rarely used. With GeneType, medical practitioners can ascertain who will benefit from the medication, thus reducing the strain on hospitals later.
The Company claimed that if women with stage 2 and above breast cancer had been assessed with GeneType, they could have been diagnosed with earlier stage cancer. Subsequently, it could have improved their health.
Breast Care Specialist and founder of Australian Breast Care Centre, Dr Nicole Yap, noted, “Implementation of the GeneType risk assessment tests assists in the early detection of cancer and ultimately save lives”.
As of Q2 FY23, the Company has a cash balance of $12.3 million and expects R&D tax incentives to kick in in the next quarter. While there are no commercial contracts for the Comprehensive Risk Assessment Test yet, GeneType is counting on U.S. payer groups (health plan providers, medical practitioners etc.) to get the ball rolling.
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