GEP breast
Gene Expression Profiling (GEP) in breast cancer
A convention was concluded between the RIZIV/INAMI and recognised breast clinics for the reimbursement of 'Gene Expression Profiling (GEP)' tests for a specific group of patients with early breast cancer. These GEP tests determine the genetic profile of the tumour to assess the susceptibility to adjuvant chemotherapy whereby unnecessary chemotherapy can be avoided. More information about this convention can be found on the website of the RIZIV/INAMI.
The convention defines the target group as followed:
- Patients with early breast cancer, first diagnosis, with maximum 3 affected lymph nodes, a tumour of maximum 5 cm, HER2-, ER+ and/or PR+, menopausal or at least 45 years old, and clinically high risk based on a generally accepted algorithm as used, for example, in the MINDACT study or the Magee score.
Linked to this agreement is a mandatory registration of patients for whom the MOC requests a GEP test through the Belgian Cancer Registry. Reimbursement of the GEP test is linked to this registration.
The new registration form can be found here.
The starting date of the new convention is 1/01/2023 (i.e. date of MOC/COM discussion where it was decided whether or not to request a GEP test). Complete registrations for all patients for whom a GEP test is requested by the MOC should be delivered yearly by the last day of February for the cases with a MOC/COM discussion in the previous year.
Registrations can be delivered to the Belgian Cancer Registry in two ways:
- Via the Web Based Cancer Registration (WBCR) application of the Cancer Registry (project module 'New Convention GEP Breast'). More information about the use of this online application is available in the WBCR manual.
- In batch via a predefined format. This format and the desired sequence of variables is available in 'the batch file template.
You can also find the manual here.
If you would like more information about the 'GEP breast' registration project, you can contact us via GEPbreast@kankerregister.org or on 02/212 08 55.