Johnson and Johnson breast cancer test ‘more sensitive’

Johnson & Johnson has this week published the results of a clinical study investigating the efficacy of the GeneSearch Breast Lymph Node (BLN) Assay test for detecting the spread of breast cancer to the lymph nodes.

The test results, presented at the Annual San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium, showed that gene-based diagnostic test exhibited greater sensitivity at detecting the spread of breast cancer when compared to standard intra-operative methods.

Veridex, a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson that funded the research, reported that the test could improve patient care by reducing the necessity for second surgeries in cancer patients.

Peter W Blumencranz, medical director of comprehensive breast health and cancer services at Morton Plant Mease Healthcase, said: “These results indicate the potential advantage of the GeneSearch BLN Assay as an objective, standardised test that can assess breast cancer metastasis in the lymph nodes rapidly and with greater overall sensitivity than the current standard of care.”

He added that the test can provide surgeons with the relevant information to make a decision regarding the extent of surgery a patient requires.

Veridex is focused on the provision of medical products for in vitro diagnostic oncology that benefit patients through earlier detection of disease.