Blood Biomarker May Help Women Avoid Chemotherapy

Ultrasensitive measures of ovarian reserve could refine treatment decisions for younger women with hormone receptor–positive breast cancer

August 28, 2026
2 min

The Pathologist

Overview

A blood test measuring anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) may identify premenopausal women with hormone receptor–positive, HER2-negative breast cancer who are unlikely to benefit from adjuvant chemotherapy.

Background

Identifying which premenopausal women with breast cancer can safely forgo chemotherapy is crucial for optimizing treatment strategies. Current guidelines indicate that not all younger patients benefit from chemotherapy, leading to uncertainty in treatment decisions. The study investigated the potential use of AMH as a biomarker to refine patient selection for chemotherapy.

Data Highlights

AMH Concentration	Benefit from Chemotherapy
Below 10 pg/mL	No measurable benefit
10 pg/mL or higher	Improved invasive disease-free survival

Key Findings

AMH is the strongest predictor of chemotherapy benefit in premenopausal women with breast cancer.
Women with AMH below 10 pg/mL did not gain measurable benefit from chemotherapy.
Approximately 21% of premenopausal participants had AMH below the 10 pg/mL threshold.
Inhibin B showed a similar predictive pattern for chemotherapy benefit.
Low AMH was more informative than age or reported menopausal status in predicting chemotherapy benefit.