ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Breast cancer is a very heterogeneous disease and luminal breast carcinomas represent the hormone receptor-positive tumors among all breast cancer subtypes. In this context, multigene signatures were developed to gain further prognostic and predictive information beyond clinical parameters and traditional immunohistochemical markers. SUMMARY: For early breast cancer patients these molecular tools can guide clinicians to decide on the extension of endocrine therapy to avoid over- and undertreatment by adjuvant chemotherapy. Beside the predictive and prognostic value, a few genomic tests are also able to provide intrinsic subtype classification. In this review, we compare the most frequently used and commercially available molecular tests (OncotypeDX®, MammaPrint®, Prosigna®, EndoPredict®, and Breast Cancer IndexSM). Moreover, we discuss the clinical utility of molecular profiling for advanced breast cancer of the luminal subtype. KEY MESSAGES: Multigene assays can help to de-escalate systemic therapy in early-stage breast cancer. Only the Oncotype DX® and MammaPrint®test are validated by entirely prospective and randomized phase 3 trials. More clinical evidence is needed to support the use of genomic tests in node-positive disease. Recent developments in high-throughput sequencing technology will provide further insights to understand the heterogeneity of luminal breast cancers in early-stage and metastatic disease.
