Dr Adige on the Importance of Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Sunil Adige, MD, assistant professor, medicine, The George Washington Cancer Center, George Washington University, discusses the importance of recognizing Breast Cancer Awareness Month and highlights key insights into understanding the disease.

Breast Cancer Awareness Month, which takes place in October each year, is crucial for highlighting the importance of early breast cancer detection and reminding individuals to prioritize screening, especially through mammograms, Adige begins. Regular mammograms are essential for identifying breast cancer in its earliest stages and can significantly affect treatment options and long-term outcomes, he says, noting that early detection allows for more manageable treatment and reduces the likelihood of requiring aggressive treatment interventions. By emphasizing the importance of screenings during this month, oncologists can help reinforce the message that early intervention can save lives, Adige explains.

Personalized medicine is an exciting and evolving area within breast cancer treatment, he continues. This approach enables oncologists to tailor therapies based on the specific characteristics of a patient’s cancer, rather than using a one-size-fits-all method, he says. In breast cancer, this often involves evaluating biomarkers—such as hormone receptor and HER2 status—that help define the cancer subtype, he emphasizes. By understanding the presence of these molecular markers, oncologists can develop a treatment plan that targets unique aspects of each cancer, increasing the chances of a successful response and minimizing unnecessary treatments, Adige explains.

In personalized medicine, oncologists are increasingly using next-generation sequencing to analyze tumor DNA andguide treatment decisions, he says. By identifying specific mutations that cancer cells develop, it is possible to more effectively target the cancer during treatment, he emphasizes. For example, there are now several treatments available for patients with PIK3CA mutations, allowing oncologists to directly target this genetic alteration, Adige notes. Now, new drugs are available, offering more effective treatment options for these patients with fewer adverse effects compared with other therapies, which is a significant advancement to recognize during Breast Cancer Awareness Month, he concludes.