GeneMedRx software warns patients and physicians if tamoxifen benefit is at risk

Oct 3 2009

One hundred eighty thousand women will be diagnosed with breast cancer this year. Eighty thousand will start taking the drug tamoxifen to prevent the recurrence of their ER (estrogen receptor) positive breast cancers. The treatment is successful in two-thirds of the women who take it. Genelex Corporation (Seattle) is now offering Tamoxitest(TM) that could improve this success rate to greater than 90% by addressing both of the common causes of tamoxifen treatment failure.

Ten-percent of women are unable to produce the enzyme CYP 2D6 essential for tamoxifen effectiveness and need an alternative treatment. Another 35% have reduced functioning so their physician should consider a higher dose or other treatments. DNA testing identifies both classes of patients.

Even with the right genetics, interactions with prescription, over-the-counter, and herbal remedies can also reduce tamoxifen effectiveness. To prevent this, Tamoxitest(TM) includes access to GeneMedRx. This interpretive software warns patients and physicians if tamoxifen benefit is at risk and offers safer alternatives.

"Five years is a long time to take a medicine that may have little to no effect in preventing cancer recurrence," states Genelex Corporation's CEO, Howard Coleman.

Tamoxitest(TM) is advocated by the National Foundation for Cancer Research and is based on research completed at the University of Indiana and Mayo Clinic. This simple, but powerful test requiring only a few cheek swabs is steadily gaining ground with the mainstream medical community.

Los Angeles oncologist Dr. Michael Benjamin, MD is one of the first physicians to embrace this technology. "The Genelex gene profiling technology is a powerful tool to help my patients. With tamoxifen testing, we can appropriately individualize treatment based on patients' ability to process the medicine."

Benjamin regularly advises his patients to take Tamoxitest(TM)." Genelex tamoxifen testing helps me be smarter about who I treat with tamoxifen, and why. I can take the discoveries made in their labs right to the patient's bedside," states Benjamin. "I see it as the wave of the future in medicine."

Maura, a breast cancer patient, says that she ordered Tamoxitest(TM) after she was diagnosed. Found to be an intermediate metabolizer, the patient and her doctor have opened a dialogue about her dose of tamoxifen. "It was worth the information - and peace of mind - I received," she concluded. Most insurance companies cover the test.