Breast Cancer

Experts highlight the risk factors, comorbidities, diagnosis, economic burden, and treatments for brain metastasis in metastatic breast cancer based on data presented at the 2020 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium.

One year into the COVID-19 pandemic has allowed for some reflection on the different evolutions that the oncology community went through in response to the many challenges posed by the virus.

Stimuli for biologic aging include ionizing radiation, ultraviolet light, diet, exercise, oxidative stresses, and perhaps, worst of all, smoking. All of these can trigger intracellular processes, including DNA methylation, or epigenetic change, telomere shortening and damage, DNA damage, and mitochondrial dysfunction.

A wave of approvals and a rapidly evolving treatment landscape could make the next decade a watershed period in breast cancer care.

Even in 2021, disparities in outcomes of younger women with breast cancer vs their older counterparts remain; addressing behavioral issues and psychological concerns in this population could vastly improve their quality of life, treatment adherence, and ultimately, survival.

Off Our Chests: A Candid Tour Through the World of Cancer is a memoir that dives into Liza Marshall’s breast cancer journey.

Although phase 3 data suggest that the addition of checkpoint inhibitors to neoadjuvant chemotherapy could improve pathologic complete response rates for patients with early-stage triple-negative breast cancer, immature data and the risk of long-term toxicity indicate that the therapy is not ready for primetime

Kevin Kalinsky, MD, MS, discusses the potential of antibody-drug conjugates across breast cancer subtypes.

Hope S. Rugo, MD, discusses the benefit of margetuximab-cmkb in patients with HER2-positive breast cancer who have received prior HER2-targeted therapies.

The introduction of new therapies for patients with recurrent HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer has resulted in a crowded landscape for third-line treatments and beyond, raising questions about how best to sequence a wealth of options.

Targeted agents and chemotherapy regimens are at the crux of systemic research efforts focused on improving outcomes for patients with breast cancer who have brain metastases and/or leptomeningeal disease.

Debu Tripathy, MD, discusses some of the unanswered clinical questions that remain for patients with HER2-positive disease and some strategies for personalizing treatment in the neoadjuvant and adjuvant settings.

Debu Tripathy, MD, discusses efforts being made to minimize the risk of disease recurrence in patients with early-stage HER2-positive breast cancer.

Olufunmilayo Falusi Olopade, MD, FACP, discusses racial disparities in breast cancer outcomes.

With the identification of numerous molecular abnormalities that can affect treatment and the course of disease in patients with breast cancer, it’s become understood that genetic profiling can define clinical trial eligibility, the presence or absence of aberrations help to drive treatment decisions, and variants can be predictive for response or resistance.

Although there is evidence to suggest that surgery with or without radiation therapy can be utilized in some patients with stage IV breast cancer who have experienced locoregional progression or symptoms to some success with regard to locoregional disease control, most patients will not achieve a survival benefit.

CDK4/6 inhibitors plus aromatase inhibitors have shown benefit as frontline treatment for patients with hormone receptor–positive, HER2-negative advanced breast cancer, but more data are needed to determine their role as adjuvant therapy before they are adopted into standard practice for patients with early-stage disease.

During a discussion regarding data demonstrated by the RxPONDER trial in HR-positive breast cancer, breast oncologists consider when ovarian suppression is most appropriate and for whom.

Dr Andrew Seidman reacts to outcomes of the RxPONDER trial of chemotherapy use in women with HR-positive breast cancer at low risk of recurrence.

Adam M. Brufsky, MD, PhD, discusses the role of neoadjuvant chemotherapy in triple-negative breast cancer.

Patrick I. Borgen, MD, discusses eliminating the use of opioids in patients with breast cancer.

The KATHERINE, FeDeriCa, DESTINY-Breast01, and HER2CLIMB trials have changed practice for patients with HER2-positive breast cancer for the better.

James R. Waisman, MD, shares his process for matching patients with the right treatment in the metastatic setting and areas for future exploration.

Mei Wei, MD, discusses the benefits of subcutaneous administration of pertuzumab and trastuzumab in patients with HER2-positive early breast cancer.