BREAST CANCER

Kimberly J. Van Zee, MS, MD, FACS, presented her findings on the benefits of nomogram during a panel on &ldquo;Breast Pathology for the Non-Pathologist&rdquo; at the 18^th annual Lynn Sage Breast Cancer Symposium in Chicago.<br /> &nbsp;

The selection process for determining which procedure to utilize for an image-directed core breast biopsy often remains a mystery to those outside of the pathology and radiology world.

William J. Gradishar, MD, discusses combining and sequencing novel targeted therapies.

In an era of simultaneous increased evaluative testing in the United States and a rise in early-stage breast cancer diagnosis, it&rsquo;s important that those facing treatment decisions for curable cancer understand the advances and advantages in precision medicine, explained Steven J. Katz, MD, MPH.

Steven Katz, MD, professor, internal medicine, at the University of Michigan Medical School, discusses the major advances in precision medicine in the field of breast cancer.

Advances in the computerization of the imaging, blood flow, and tumor measures of exact volume and vessel density are now less operator dependent. That provides for an accurate and repeatable diagnosis, and a means to follow the individual patient&rsquo;s unique pattern of cancer development, progress, and response to treatment.

Meena Savur Moran, MD, professor, therapeutic oncology, and director of the radiation therapy breast program, Smilow Cancer Hospital at Yale-New Haven, discusses the margin guidelines that have been identified in breast conservation.

Francisco Esteva, director, breast medical oncology program, Perlmutter Cancer Center, NYU Langone Medical Center, discusses the findings of a biosimilar trastuzumab study in patients with HER2-positive breast cancer.

Chau T. Dang, MD&nbsp;discusses several recent trials investigating novel treatment approaches for patients with HER2-positive breast cancer.

A new drug application (NDA) for neratinib as an extended adjuvant therapy for patients with HER2-positive breast cancer following prior treatment with postoperative trastuzumab (Herceptin) has been accepted by the FDA

To more effectively treat patients with triple negative breast cancer (TNBC), a greater understanding of the disease must first be obtained, said Angela DeMichele, MD, professor of medicine and epidemiology, breast cancer oncologist, University of Pennsylvania.

According to findings of a recent study, obesity is more prevalent in cancer survivors, specifically in those with a history of breast or colorectal cancer (CRC), compared with those without any history of disease.

<div>The developer of neratinib, Puma Biotechnology, has announced the European Medicines Agency (EMA) has validated the marketing authorization application for neratinib as a potential extended adjuvant therapy for patients with HER2-positive early stage breast cancer following 12 months of trastuzumab (Herceptin).</div>

Pfizer has announced plans to acquire the biopharmaceutical company Medivation, which is the developer of the androgen receptor inhibitor enzalutamide (Xtandi). Under the terms of the agreement, Pfizer will pay $81.50 per share in cash for Medivation, totaling approximately $14 billion. Both companies agreed to the transaction, which is expected to complete later this year.

Approximately 46% of patients with breast cancer at high risk for recurrence but low genomic risk with the 70-gene breast cancer recurrence assay (MammaPrint) might not require adjuvant chemotherapy, according to prospective 5-year results of the MINDACT trial published in&nbsp;<em>The New England Journal of Medicine</em>.¹

Linda Bosserman, MD, medical oncologist, City of Hope, discusses the effects that payment reform may have on clinical practice in oncology.

Eleftherios P. Mamounas, MD, surgical oncologist, UF Health Cancer Center - Orlando Health, compares mastectomy with breast conservation in the surgical management of breast cancer.

The CDK4/6 inhibitor ribociclib (LEE011) has received a breakthrough therapy designation from the FDA for its potential as a frontline therapy when given in combination with letrozole for patients with hormone-receptor (HR)-positive, HER2-negative advanced breast cancer.<br /> &nbsp;

Treatment with anthracyclines was proven to be beneficial for patients with high-risk, HER2-negative, early-stage breast cancer.

Frankie Ann Holmes, MD, medical oncologist, Texas Oncology, discusses the implications of the results of the MA17R trial, which is a randomized phase III clinical trial that examined the benefits of extending aromatase inhibitors with letrozole as a treatment for postmenopausal patients with early breast cancer.

Julia White, MD, professor of Radiation Oncology, Ohio State University, discusses some of the alternative procedures that patients with breast cancer may be able to opt for instead of whole-breast irradiation.

There is a lack of targeted agents for triple-negative breast cancer, which makes it one of the most challenging subtypes of breast cancer to treat; however, that may soon be changing.

Dual anti-HER2-directed therapies have emerged as the most beneficial neoadjuvant treatment option for patients with HER2-positive breast cancer, according to Frankie Ann Holmes, MD.

More options are now available for combining and sequencing therapy for patients with estrogen (ER)&ndash;positive metastatic breast cancer (mBC), including the deployment of CDK4/6 inhibitors, as clinicians endeavor to individualize the sequencing of therapies to improve patient outcomes, according to Maura N. Dickler, MD.

Clifford A. Hudis, MD, CEO of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, discusses the significance of the relationship between breast cancer and obesity.

When it comes to breast cancer treatments, sometimes less is more, according to Hope S. Rugo, MD.

A better understanding of how patients with triple-negative breast cancer respond to neoadjuvant therapy regimens is helping to further individualize therapy for patients while also informing treatment decisions in the adjuvant setting.

The addition of chemotherapy to standard hormonal therapy does not improve survival rates for patients with early breast cancer who are at low-risk for recurrence using the 21-gene recurrence score.