Dr. Brufsky on the Future Role of Chemotherapy in TNBC

Adam M. Brufsky, MD, PhD, professor of medicine and associate chief in the Division of Hematology/Oncology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, medical director, Magee-Women’s Cancer Program, co-director of the Comprehensive Breast Cancer Center, and associate director for Clinical Investigations at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Hillman Cancer Center, discusses the future role of chemotherapy in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC).

According to Brufsky, chemotherapy will likely retain a role in the treatment of patients with TNBC for at least the next 5 to 10 years.

Currently, many immunotherapeutic options include a chemotherapy backbone, Brufsky explains. Additionally, some targeted therapies such as AKT inhibitors also utilize chemotherapy as a backbone.

Novel therapies such as antibody-drug conjugates also harness a chemotherapy backbone, which further solidifies a role for chemotherapy in the foreseeable future, concludes Brufsky.