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. 2025 Jun:81:104436.
doi: 10.1016/j.breast.2025.104436. Epub 2025 Mar 5.

Awareness of genomic testing among patients with breast cancer in Europe

Antonella Cardone  1 , Dany Bell  2 , Conchi Biurrun  3 , Francesco Cognetti  4 , Fatima Cardoso  5 , Ana Ramirez Piris  6 , Csaba Degi  7 , Michael Patrick Lux  8 , Richard Simcock  9 , Johanna Wassermann  10 , Rosanna D'Antona  11 , Isabel T Rubio  12
Affiliations

Awareness of genomic testing among patients with breast cancer in Europe

Antonella Cardone et al. Breast. 2025 Jun.

Abstract

Purpose: Genomic testing, involving expression profiling of tumour tissue, is a powerful tool for determining appropriate treatments for certain cancer patients. This study aimed to evaluate awareness of genomic testing in breast cancer patients in five European countries.

Methods: The survey was initiated by Cancer Patients Europe and developed with patient associations, oncologists, and a psycho-oncologist. Participants were recruited via email and social media and completed a 42-question internet survey.

Results: Of 1383 participants in eligible countries completing the survey, 566 women with current or previous HR+/HER2- breast cancer, potentially eligible for genomic testing, were analysed. 245 (43.3 %) were aged 50-59 years and 381 (67.3 %) had received higher education. 238 participants (42.1 %) had heard about genomic testing; 122 (21.6 %) were informed of their eligibility for testing, and 104 (18.4 %) were given reasons for the test. The majority (N = 479; 84.6 %) felt they lacked sufficient information to decide, and only 139 (24.6 %) opted for testing. Overall, 246 (43.5 %) wanted more information on additional testing and 234 (41.3 %) wanted more information on treatment options. The main information sources were medical professionals (N = 363; 64.1 %) and the internet (N = 351; 62.0 %). However, 398 participants (70.3 %) indicated that their healthcare professionals did not advise them on where to find more information.

Conclusions: This study highlights insufficient awareness of, and access to, genomic testing in breast cancer. Healthcare professionals need to improve communication with patients regarding genomic testing and involve them in shared decision-making. Likewise, patient associations have a role in providing clear information to patients.

Keywords: Breast cancer; Chemotherapy; Genomic testing; Qualitative research; Treatment choice.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of competing interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: The myC initiative reports financial support was provided by Exact sciences. Fatima Cardoso reports a relationship with Amgen that includes: consulting or advisory. Fatima Cardoso reports a relationship with Astellas Medivation that includes: consulting or advisory. Fatima Cardoso reports a relationship with AstraZeneca that includes: consulting or advisory. Fatima Cardoso reports a relationship with Celgene that includes: consulting or advisory. Fatima Cardoso reports a relationship with Daiichi-Sankyo that includes: consulting or advisory. Fatima Cardoso reports a relationship with Eisai that includes: consulting or advisory. Fatima Cardoso reports a relationship with GE Oncology that includes: consulting or advisory. Fatima Cardoso reports a relationship with Genentech that includes: consulting or advisory. Fatima Cardoso reports a relationship with Gilead that includes: consulting or advisory. Fatima Cardoso reports a relationship with GlaxoSmithKline that includes: consulting or advisory. Fatima Cardoso reports a relationship with IQVIA that includes: consulting or advisory. Fatima Cardoso reports a relationship with Macrogenics that includes: consulting or advisory. Fatima Cardoso reports a relationship with Medscape that includes: consulting or advisory. Fatima Cardoso reports a relationship with Merck-Sharp that includes: consulting or advisory. Fatima Cardoso reports a relationship with Merus BV that includes: consulting or advisory. Fatima Cardoso reports a relationship with Mylan that includes: consulting or advisory. Fatima Cardoso reports a relationship with Mundipharma that includes: consulting or advisory. Fatima Cardoso reports a relationship with Novartis that includes: consulting or advisory. Fatima Cardoso reports a relationship with Pfizer that includes: consulting or advisory. Fatima Cardoso reports a relationship with Pierre-Fabre that includes: consulting or advisory. Fatima Cardoso reports a relationship with prIME Oncology that includes: consulting or advisory. Fatima Cardoso reports a relationship with Roche that includes: consulting or advisory. Fatima Cardoso reports a relationship with Sanofi that includes: consulting or advisory. Fatima Cardoso reports a relationship with Samsung Bioepis that includes: consulting or advisory. Fatima Cardoso reports a relationship with Seagen that includes: consulting or advisory. Fatima Cardoso reports a relationship with Teva that includes: consulting or advisory. Fatima Cardoso reports a relationship with TouchIME that includes: consulting or advisory. Francesco Cognetti reports a relationship with Genomic Health that includes: consulting or advisory. Csaba Degi reports a relationship with UEFISCDI INSTITUTION that includes: grants. Csaba Degi reports a relationship with Babes-Bolyai University UBB that includes: grants. Csaba Degi reports a relationship with ECO that includes: travel reimbursement. Michael P. Lux reports a relationship with Lilly that includes: consulting or advisory. Michael P. Lux reports a relationship with Pfizer that includes: consulting or advisory. Michael P. Lux reports a relationship with Roche that includes: consulting or advisory Michael P. Lux reports a relationship with MSD that includes: consulting or advisory. Michael P. Lux reports a relationship with Hexal that includes: consulting or advisory. Michael P. Lux reports a relationship with Novartis that includes: consulting or advisory. Michael P. Lux reports a relationship with AstraZeneca that includes: consulting or advisory. Michael P. Lux reports a relationship with Eisai that includes: consulting or advisory. Michael P. Lux reports a relationship with Exact Sciences that includes: consulting or advisory. Michael P. Lux reports a relationship with Agendia that includes: consulting or advisory. Michael P. Lux reports a relationship with Daiichi-Sankyo that includes: consulting or advisory. Michael P. Lux reports a relationship with Grünenthal that includes: consulting or advisory. Michael P. Lux reports a relationship with Gilead that includes: consulting or advisory. Michael P. Lux reports a relationship with Pierre Fabre that includes: consulting or advisory. Michael P. Lux reports a relationship with PharmaMar that includes: consulting or advisory. Michael P. Lux reports a relationship with Samantree that includes: consulting or advisory,. Michael P. Lux reports a relationship with Endomag that includes: consulting or advisory. Michael P. Lux reports a relationship with medac that includes: consulting or advisory, speaking and lecture fees, and travel reimbursement. Ana Ramirez Piris reports a relationship with Exact Sciences that includes: employment. Richard Simcock reports a relationship with Novartis that includes: consulting or advisory. Isabel Rubio reports a relationship with AstraZeneca: consulting and advisory. Isabel Rubio reports a relationship with MSD: consulting and advisory. Richard Simcock reports a relationship with AstraZeneca that includes: consulting or advisory. Richard Simcock reports a relationship with Seagen that includes: consulting or advisory. Richard Simcock reports a relationship with Hologic that includes: consulting or advisory. Richard Simcock reports a relationship with Exact Sciences that includes: consulting or advisory and travel reimbursement. Richard Simcock reports a relationship with Sanofi that includes: consulting or advisory. Richard Simcock reports a relationship with Novartis that includes: consulting or advisory and travel reimbursement. Johanna Wassermann reports a relationship with Eisai that includes: consulting or advisory. Johanna Wassermann reports a relationship with Lilly that includes: consulting or advisory. Johanna Wassermann reports a relationship with Menarini-Stemline that includes: consulting or advisory. Johanna Wassermann reports a relationship with Daiichi-Sankyo that includes: consulting or advisory. Johanna Wassermann reports a relationship with Exact Sciences that includes: speaking and lecture fees. Johanna Wassermann reports a relationship with Novartis that includes: speaking and lecture fees. Johanna Wassermann reports a relationship with Pfizer that includes: travel reimbursement. Johanna Wassermann reports a relationship with Seagen that includes: travel reimbursement. Fatima Cardoso is Editor-in-Chief of The Breast. If there are other authors, they declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Flow chart diagram.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Awareness of genomic testing by level of education.
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Awareness and use of genomic testing by country. Data are reported for the analysis population of 566 women potentially eligible for genomic testing.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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