VZP to cover expensive but necessary test for breast cancer patients

The biggest public health insurance provider VZP has announced that it will cover the costs of a genetic test, which helps doctors decide whether a patient with breast cancer should undergo chemotherapy. The test called Oncotype DX, which determines the risk of the cancer recurring after surgery, is currently carried out by a laboratory in the United States, and costs Czech customers around 100 thousand crowns. If the risk of recurrence is low, the oncologist can recommend less aggressive hormonal treatment instead of chemotherapy. Four oncological centers have already expressed interest and said that a currently few dozen patients could benefit from undergoing the test, which they would normally elect not to do because of the cost.

Author: Masha Volynsky