Two Studies Show Breast Cancer Survival and Mortality Gaps Are Widening Between Rural and Urban Areas
Survival and mortality disparities for women with breast cancer are widening between rural and urban areas over time, according to findings from two American Cancer Society studies presented at the 2026 ASCO Quality Care Symposium (Abstracts 208 and 253). The studies found that women from rural...
Automated vs Handheld Ultrasound for Breast Cancer Screening
A new study by Rauscher et al in the Journal of the American College of Radiology has found that automated breast ultrasound (ABUS) and handheld ultrasound (HHUS) had similar cancer detection rates in women with dense breasts, whereas ABUS had a lower false-positive rate. These data demonstrate...
Neil M. Iyengar, MD, on Co-Occurring Mutations in Advanced Breast Cancer: Management Strategies
In hormone receptor–positive, HER2-negative metastatic breast cancer, co-occurring ESR1 and PIK3CA mutations create therapeutic complexity. Oral SERDs, including elacestrant, retain activity despite PIK3CA co-mutation and may offer an efficacy–toxicity balance compared with PI3K/AKT pathway inhibitors. Treatment selection should incorporate molecular profile, anticipated efficacy, toxicity, and shared decision-making, states Neil M. Iyengar, MD.
Neil M. Iyengar, MD, on Testing for ESR1 Mutations in ER-Positive Breast Cancer
ESR1 mutations are a major mechanism of acquired endocrine resistance in hormone receptor–positive metastatic breast cancer and are associated with poorer outcomes. Serial ctDNA testing enables dynamic detection of emergent ESR1 mutations and clonal evolution, potentially informing treatment selection. As Neil M. Iyengar, MD, outlines via a patient case and deeper data review, ESR1 testing strategies should be individualized based on treatment duration, disease stability, and patient preferences.
ACS Report Highlights Cancer Burden and Screening Disparities in U.S. Hispanic Population
The cancer distribution in the Hispanic population is distinct from the general population in the United States, according to a statistics report from the American Cancer Society (ACS) published in CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians. The report indicated fewer lung and urinary bladder cancers,...
Study Supports Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy After Chemotherapy in Locally Advanced Breast Cancer
A prospective study found that sentinel lymph node biopsy may be an accurate method of axillary staging in selected patients with locally advanced breast cancer who achieve a clinical nodal response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy—potentially allowing some patients to avoid axillary lymph node...
Charles M. Perou, PhD, Honored With 2026 William L. McGuire Memorial Lecture Award
Charles M. Perou, PhD, will receive the William L. McGuire Memorial Lecture Award during the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium 2026 (SABCS), to be held December 8 to 11 at the Henry B. González Convention Center in San Antonio, Texas. He will present his award lecture, titled “Quantitative...
HER2-Positive Breast Cancer: FDA Approves Triplet for Maintenance Therapy
On October 7, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved tucatinib (Tukysa), a HER2-targeted tyrosine kinase inhibitor, in combination with trastuzumab and pertuzumab for the maintenance treatment of adult patients with unresectable locally advanced or metastatic HER2-positive breast...
ER-Positive, HER2-Negative Advanced Breast Cancer: Giredestrant Plus Everolimus
Patients with estrogen receptor (ER)-positive, HER2-negative advanced breast cancer experienced significantly improved progression-free survival when treated with an oral combination regimen that included giredestrant, a novel, next-generation selective ER degrader and full antagonist (SERD),...
Are Narrower Negative Margins Linked to Higher Risk of DCIS Recurrence?
Among patients with ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) who underwent breast-conserving surgery, negative surgical margins narrower than 2 mm were not associated with a significantly higher risk of ipsilateral recurrence compared with margins of at least 2 mm—except among patients younger than age...
Depression Increases Cancer-Specific Mortality Risks in Common Cancers
Depression in patients with cancer may be associated with a higher mortality risk, according to findings from a large SEER-Medicare analysis presented at the 2026 American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) Annual Meeting (Abstract 195). The analysis found that psychotherapy soon after...
Real-World Data Indicate Lower Adherence Rates for Breast Cancer Endocrine Therapy When Radiation Therapy Is Omitted
Many patients with early-stage breast cancer do not consistently maintain the long-term hormone therapy prescribed after lumpectomy, a large U.S. insurance claims analysis indicates. Findings provide important real-world context for treatment approaches that consider omitting radiation therapy,...
Phase III Trial Compares HER2-Directed Antibody-Drug Conjugates in Advanced Breast Cancer
According to findings from a phase III randomized trial reported by Zhang et al in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, the novel HER2-directed antibody-drug conjugate trastuzumab botidotin significantly prolonged progression-free survival compared with ado-trastuzumab emtansine (T-DM1) in patients...
Guideline Update Recommends Tailoring Breast Cancer Surveillance Based on Recurrence Risk
ASCO has published a guideline update offering clinicians new recommendations for breast cancer follow-up and surveillance after primary treatment.1 For this patient population, determining the optimal frequency and timing of visits can be a challenge, according to Expert Panel Co-Chair Maryam...
New AI Model Outperforms Oncotype DX for Predicting Recurrence Risk in Breast Cancer
A multimodal artificial intelligence (AI) model incorporating multiscale histopathology features was able to predict recurrence risk in patients with early-stage hormone receptor–positive and HER2-negative breast cancer more accurately than the 21-gene recurrence score, Oncotype DX, according to...
CAP Updates Cancer Protocols for Breast Cancer Biomarker Reporting and GIST Molecular Testing
New updates to the College of American Pathologists’ (CAP) Cancer Protocols will affect breast cancer biomarker reporting and molecular testing for gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs), reflecting advances in precision oncology and laboratory accreditation. The updates are part of revisions to...
Neoadjuvant Anbenitamab/Chemotherapy Combination Improves Response in ERBB2-Positive Breast Cancer
Neoadjuvant treatment with the ERBB2-biparatopic antibody anbenitamab plus a solvent-free albumin-bound docetaxel formulation (HB1801) significantly improved total pathologic complete response vs conventional therapy with trastuzumab plus pertuzumab and a taxane (THP) in patients with early or...
Losing Weight and Breast Cancer Risk? The GLP-1 Question
The rapid adoption of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) for obesity and diabetes has sparked interest in their potential effects on breast cancer risk and outcomes. At the 2026 ASCO Annual Meeting, investigators presented several observational studies examining the relationship...
FDA Approves Imlunestrant in Combination With Abemaciclib for ER-Positive, HER2-Negative, ESR1-Mutated Advanced or Metastatic Breast Cancer
On September 18, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved imlunestrant (Inluriyo) in combination with abemaciclib (Verzenio) for adults with estrogen receptor (ER)-positive, HER2-negative, ESR1-mutated advanced or metastatic breast cancer, as detected by an FDA-authorized test, with...
Independent Validation Supports Prognostic Value of Computational TILs in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer
In the large, platform-based, independent validation study CATALINA, published by Dixon-Douglas et al in The Lancet Oncology, two artificial intelligence (AI)-derived computational tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte (cTIL) models, which were deployed without retraining or modification, provided...
FDA Approves Camizestrant Combination Regimen for Locally Advanced or Metastatic Breast Cancer
On September 4, 2026, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted accelerated approval to camizestrant (Etcamah), an estrogen receptor antagonist, in combination with a CDK4/6 inhibitor (abemaciclib, palbociclib, or ribociclib) for adults with hormone receptor (HR)-positive, HER2-negative...
AI Applied to Mammograms May Help Identify Common Cardiovascular Conditions
In addition to searching for breast cancer, artificial intelligence (AI) used in mammography reads may help to detect common cardiovascular diseases, according to study findings presented at the ESC Congress 2026. “Because mammography is already widely used, analyzing the same images for...
Predictors of pCR to Neoadjuvant THP Explored in HER2-Positive Breast Cancer
Secondary analyses of the prospective EA1181/CompassHER2 pCR trial identified clinicopathologic and molecular factors associated with pathologic complete response (pCR) after de-escalated neoadjuvant therapy with a taxane plus trastuzumab and pertuzumab (THP) in patients with stage II to IIIA...
ASCENT-04 Exploratory Analysis: Sacituzumab Govitecan Plus Pembrolizumab Improves PFS2, Delays Next Treatment
First-line treatment with the antibody-drug conjugate sacituzumab govitecan-hziy plus pembrolizumab led to a longer progression-free survival after next line of treatment—ie, progression-free survival–2 (PFS2)—than chemotherapy plus pembrolizumab in patients with previously untreated,...
Additional Safety Analysis of DESTINY-Breast05: What Did It Show?
An additional safety analysis of the global phase III DESTINY-Breast05 trial evaluating the HER2-directed antibody-drug conjugate fam-trastuzumab deruxtecan-nxki (T-DXd) has further established the pulmonary safety profile of T-DXd with radiotherapy, according to Michael Untch, MD, PhD, of Helios...
Tissue-Free ctDNA Assay May Help Identify Recurrence Risk in Early Triple-Negative Breast Cancer
A tissue-free circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) assay was strongly prognostic for recurrence in patients treated for triple-negative breast cancer and provided a lead time to recurrence comparable to that of a multivariant tumor-informed assay, according to findings from a prognostic study published by ...
Study Evaluates Chemotherapy-Free Quadruplet in HR-Positive, HER2-Positive Metastatic Breast Cancer
Researchers have reported that a chemotherapy-free combination of four targeted therapies showed encouraging results in patients with hormone receptor (HR)-positive, HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer, offering a potential first-line treatment option that may be more convenient for some...
Phase III OPTIMA Trial: Many Patients With ER-Positive, HER2-Negative Breast Cancer May Be Able to Avoid Chemotherapy
New results from the international, randomized, phase III OPTIMA trial indicate that select patients with clinically high-risk, estrogen receptor–positive, HER2-negative early breast cancer who have a low risk of recurrence based on tumor gene expression testing may be able to safely avoid...
Study Supports Personalized Weight-Loss Intervention for Breast Cancer Survivors
A personalized approach to obesity treatment may help breast cancer survivors improve their long-term health by identifying early which patients need more than behavioral lifestyle intervention alone. The phase II Adaptive Nutrition and Exercise Weight Loss (A-NEW) trial found that breast cancer...
Is Excess Adiposity Linked to Vertebral Fracture Progression in Aromatase Inhibitor–Treated Early Breast Cancer?
Among patients with early breast cancer receiving aromatase inhibitors, excess adiposity emerged as a novel risk factor for vertebral fracture progression, whereas higher muscle mass was protective, according to a retrospective cohort study by Schivardi et al published in JAMA Network Open. “These...
High-Risk ERBB2-Negative Breast Cancer: Adding Dual Checkpoint Blockade to Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy
The addition of dual PD-1 and LAG-3 inhibition with cemiplimab-rwlc and fianlimab to standard paclitaxel-based neoadjuvant chemotherapy resulted in improved pathologic complete response rates in patients with early-stage, high-risk ERBB2 (formerly HER2 or HER2/neu)-negative breast cancer, according ...
QOL Impact of Postmastectomy Chest Wall Radiotherapy: 5-Year Follow-up
In the 5-year quality-of-life (QOL) analysis of the phase III SUPREMO trial published in The Lancet Oncology, Velikova et al found that women with intermediate-risk breast cancer who received postmastectomy chest wall radiotherapy experienced modestly worse local chest wall symptoms at 5 years, but ...
AMH Levels May Predict Adjuvant Chemotherapy Benefit in Premenopausal Women With Breast Cancer
In premenopausal women under the age of 55 years with hormone receptor–positive, HER2-negative, node-positive breast cancer, investigators reported that those with low baseline levels of anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH) did not benefit from adjuvant chemotherapy and endocrine therapy. The findings from ...
Trastuzumab Rezetecan Improves Progression-Free Survival in HER2-Positive Metastatic Breast Cancer
In the phase III HORIZON-Breast01 trial, the HER2-directed antibody-drug conjugate trastuzumab rezetecan significantly improved progression-free survival and showed a distinct safety profile vs pyrotinib plus capecitabine in HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer. The interim analysis, reported by...
HER2-Targeted Regimen Yields High Pathologic Complete Response Rate in Locally Advanced Breast Cancer
A human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)–targeted regimen achieved high pathologic complete response rates before surgery in patients with locally advanced HER2-positive breast cancer, according to results from the single-arm phase II neoPICD trial. The findings were highlighted during a...
Global Breast Cancer Survival Estimates: WHO Analysis
For the first time ever, the World Health Organization (WHO) has published global 5-year breast cancer survival estimates for women diagnosed with breast cancer between 2017 and 2021 for all its 194 Member States. Published by Girardi et al in Nature Medicine, these estimates provide a baseline for ...
The Fear of Having Cancer Never Goes Away
There is a strong history of breast cancer in my family, and the fact that I have dense breasts adding to my risk of developing the disease, kept me vigilant about getting a yearly mammogram screening since I turned 32. The test never showed any suspicious lesions over the last nearly 2 decades,...
Neoadjuvant Inetetamab Plus Pyrotinib Evaluated in HER2-Positive Locally Advanced Breast Cancer in China
Neoadjuvant treatment with the HER2-targeted monoclonal antibody inetetamab in combination with the irreversible pan-HER tyrosine kinase inhibitor pyrotinib (inhibits HER1, HER2, HER4) and chemotherapy produced high pathologic response rates in patients in China with HER2-positive locally advanced...
Emergency Department Cancer Diagnosis Associated With Higher Mortality Across 16 Cancer Types
Diagnosis of a cancer upon emergency department presentation was associated with an elevated mortality rate, which was consistent across 16 analyzed cancer types, according to new research findings published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. “These gaps held up even after we...
National Survey Links Civic Engagement to Higher Breast Cancer Screening Rates
Findings from a National Health Interview Survey revealed that civically engaged adults were more likely to stay up to date with their breast cancer screenings. The research findings were published in the American Cancer Society's Cancer journal. “The connection isn’t surprising, as being...
Study Finds Rising Breast Cancer Incidence Across Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Groups
Based on the results of a population-based, descriptive, cross-sectional study published in JAMA Network Open by Gomez et al, invasive breast cancer incidence rates accelerated among Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander women over 2 decades. “The rapid recent increases in breast...
Node-Negative Breast Cancer: 20-Year Outcomes With IM-MS Lymph Node Irradiation
As reported in The Lancet Oncology by Kaidar-Person et al, an unplanned subset analysis at 20 years in the phase III EORTC trial 22922/10925 showed that internal mammary and medial supraclavicular (IM-MS) nodal irradiation was associated with a significantly lower rate of breast cancer...
Gedatolisib Combinations Approved by FDA for HR-Positive/HER2-Negative Breast Cancer
On July 14, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved gedatolisib (Revtorpyk) in combination with fulvestrant, with or without palbociclib, for the treatment of adults with hormone receptor (HR)-positive, HER2-negative locally advanced or metastatic breast cancer without a PIK3CA...
Wassim McHayleh, MD, FACP, MBA, on Elacestrant Plus Capivasertib in ER-Positive/HER2-Negative Advanced Breast Cancer: Update From ELEVATE
Wassim McHayleh, MD, FACP, MBA, of AdventHealth Cancer Institute, provides an update from the phase Ib/II ELEVATE trial, an open-label umbrella study. This report focuses on updated safety and preliminary efficacy for elacestrant and capivasertib for patients with estrogen receptor (ER)-positive/HER2-negative advanced breast cancer who experienced disease progression on first-line endocrine therapy plus CDK4/6 inhibition (Abstract 1098).
Stage III HER2-Negative Breast Cancer With HRD: Standard Chemotherapy Plus Olaparib
In a European phase III trial (SUBITO) reported in The Lancet Oncology, Seefat et al found that intensified alkylating chemotherapy with autologous stem cell rescue (IACT) provided no overall survival advantage vs standard chemotherapy followed by olaparib in patients with stage IIIA-C...
Breast Cancer: Tailoring Radiotherapy Based on Nodal Response to Primary Chemotherapy
As reported in The Lancet Oncology by Mauritz et al, 10-year follow-up of a Dutch prospective registry study (RAPCHEM: BOOG 2010–03) indicated that tailoring postoperative locoregional radiotherapy based on nodal response to primary chemotherapy was associated with maintenance of a low locoregional ...
Shared Risk Factors Between Breast Cancer and Atrial Fibrillation/Flutter
Alcohol use and smoking were linked to breast cancer and atrial fibrillation/flutter in women aged 55 years and older in multiple regions of the world, according to new research published by Zhang et al in the Journal of the American Heart Association. Breast cancer and atrial fibrillation—also...
Intraoperative Margin Assessment With Specimen PET/CT Imaging in Early Breast Cancer
In a European trial (BrIMA) reported in JAMA Surgery, Göker et al found that specimen PET/CT imaging was associated with improved detection of positive margins in surgery for early breast cancer. Study Details The study recruited patients from six European breast centers between June 2022 and March ...
Disparities in Cancer Screening Persist Among Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Minority Populations
New research has uncovered persistent disparities in preventive cancer care across different sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI) minority populations. The study—published by Arena et al in the journal Cancer—found particular concern for cervical and breast cancer screening. To assess SOGI ...
Study Uncovers How Obesity Influences Molecular Pathways in Breast Cancer Progression
A novel study has found that obesity is associated with a distinct molecular program driving the transition from early-stage, premalignant breast lesions to invasive breast cancer. Rather than simply showing increased activation of classical invasive pathways, tumors from patients with obesity...
