--- title: "Natera's Signatera Data Suggests Select Breast Cancer Patients Could Skip Surgery" type: "News" locale: "en" url: "https://longbridge.com/en/news/281222651.md" description: "Natera Inc. (NASDAQ:NTRA) shares rose 5.26% following positive results from a study on its Signatera MRD test, indicating that older breast cancer patients may avoid surgery through primary endocrine therapy. The study showed 68% of patients were MRD-negative pre-treatment, with no disease progression observed. Analysts maintain a bullish outlook, with a Buy Rating and an average price target of $248.06. Despite some short-term weakness, Natera's stock has increased 37.56% over the past year, reflecting a strong long-term trend." datetime: "2026-03-31T16:48:52.000Z" locales: - [zh-CN](https://longbridge.com/zh-CN/news/281222651.md) - [en](https://longbridge.com/en/news/281222651.md) - [zh-HK](https://longbridge.com/zh-HK/news/281222651.md) --- > Supported Languages: [简体中文](https://longbridge.com/zh-CN/news/281222651.md) | [繁體中文](https://longbridge.com/zh-HK/news/281222651.md) # Natera's Signatera Data Suggests Select Breast Cancer Patients Could Skip Surgery **Natera Inc.** (NASDAQ:NTRA) shares are up on Tuesday as the company announced promising results from a prospective study regarding its Signatera molecular residual disease (MRD) test. **• Natera stock is showing exceptional strength. What’s fueling NTRA momentum?** ## **Signatera Study: MRD-Negative Patients Skip Surgery** The study published in Clinical Cancer Research shows that Signatera was able to identify older women with early-stage ER+/HER2- breast cancer who can be managed with primary endocrine therapy (PET), without surgery. PET remains a non-surgical option for select early breast cancer patients, though risk stratification and monitoring tools have been limited. ## **Signatera Identifies Patients Who May Avoid Surgery** The prospective study evaluated 43 women aged over 70 years with stage 1–3 ER+/HER2- breast cancer who opted for PET over surgery. Patients underwent Signatera testing at baseline and every three to six months, alongside standard imaging and clinical assessments. Sixty-eight percent (23/34) were MRD-negative pre-treatment, with zero disease progression observed (100% negative predictive value). ## **Patients Show Clearance With Therapy** Of 11 baseline MRD-positive patients, 64% (7/11) cleared ctDNA within six months of PET. All remained free of distant progression; one case of locoregional progression was detected by Signatera ahead of imaging. All five patients who experienced tumor progression were MRD-positive before radiographic detection, indicating 100% longitudinal sensitivity. Over 80% of patients reported that Signatera informed treatment decisions without increasing anxiety. Signatera demonstrated strong predictive accuracy and early-detection capability in a PET setting, supporting its potential utility for non-surgical breast cancer management and longitudinal monitoring. ## **NTRA 11.5% Below 100-Day SMA** Natera is currently trading 1.3% below its 20-day simple moving average (SMA) and 11.5% below its 100-day SMA, indicating some short-term weakness. However, shares have increased 37.56% over the past 12 months and are positioned closer to their 52-week highs than lows, reflecting a strong longer-term trend. The RSI is at 39.27, which is considered neutral territory, suggesting that the stock is neither overbought nor oversold. Meanwhile, the MACD is at -5.4736, below its signal line at -5.1704, indicating bearish pressure on the stock. The combination of neutral RSI and bearish MACD suggests mixed momentum, indicating that traders should watch for potential shifts in momentum. - **Key Resistance**: $204.50 - **Key Support**: $194 **Analyst Consensus & Recent Actions:** The stock carries a Buy Rating with an average price target of $248.06. Recent analyst moves include: - **Morgan Stanley**: Overweight (Lowers target to $250 on March 3) - **Wells Fargo**: Equal-Weight (Raises target to $215 on Feb. 27) - **Evercore ISI Group**: Outperform (Raises target to $260 on Feb. 27) ## **Natera Benzinga Edge: Momentum Score 70.71** Below is the Benzinga Edge scorecard for Natera, highlighting its strengths and weaknesses compared to the broader market: - **Momentum**: Strong (Score: 70.71) — Stock is outperforming the broader market. **The Verdict:** Natera’s Benzinga Edge signal reveals a momentum-driven story, indicating strong performance in the current market environment. **NTRA Stock Price Activity:** Natera shares were up 5.26% at $196.68 at the time of publication on Tuesday, according to Benzinga Pro data. _Image via Shutterstock_ ### Related Stocks - [Direxion Daily S&P Biotech Bull 3X ETF (LABU.US)](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/LABU.US.md) - [Natera, Inc. 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