How The Breast Cancer Index Test Shaped My Treatment Journey

For Ashliann Mazeika, a diagnosis of early-stage breast cancer at the age of 24 led to a decade-long treatment journey, a process that was affirmed by the results of the Breast Cancer Index test.

Mazeika underwent surgery via a double mastectomy, chemotherapy and years on the endocrine therapy tamoxifen to lower her recurrence risk, but the latter treatment left her struggling with side effects such as brain fog, mood swings and insomnia.

After a treatment pause that included time for her to get pregnant and give birth to a son, the return of tamoxifen prompted Mazeika to take the Breast Cancer Index test, a genomic test that provides personalized information on her risk of recurrence and the likelihood that she would benefit from more treatment with tamoxifen.

Mazeika and a member of her care team, nurse practitioner Adriana Olivo of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City, sat down for interviews with CURE her treatment journey and how it was informed by the Breast Cancer Index test.

Transcript

What role did the Breast Cancer Index test play in your cancer treatment journey?

Mazeika: When I had my son, I felt so good pregnant, which is crazy to say, because I know a lot of people complain. You know how you feel. But, compared to the tamoxifen and the chemotherapy that my body had been through the five years prior, I felt great. And so it was a sad, sad day when I had to go back on that tamoxifen, because I knew what I was in for.

But it is what it is, and you had to do it. So, I went back on the tamoxifen. And I went back on that for approximately, I want to say, three and a half years, and then at that three-and-a-half year mark or so, the Sloan team proposed to me this Breast Cancer Index opportunity that was out there, and that I would be a candidate for it. And it would be something that they could look at my specimen and give me an idea as to, is this tamoxifen actually effective and necessary for my specific case?

Olivo: [The test determined] that she did receive a benefit from continuing on the endocrine therapy. So, she did go back on, recognizing that she was going to potentially have those side effects again, but she knew that it was going to be beneficial for her long-term risk and outcome.

Mazeika: Unfortunately, it came back that, based on the type of cancer, and the research they've done on this drug and the Breast Cancer Index results, that it was beneficial for me to be on that drug for that 10 years. So, although the outcome wasn't really what I was hoping for, it was, it was a nice breath of fresh air to know that I did this and I've been taking this and there was a reason behind it for that extra five years.

Transcript has been edited for clarity and conciseness.

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