Carlos L. Arteaga, MD

PRESS CONFERENCE moderator Carlos L. Arteaga, MD, Director, Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, said that oncologists typically do not test triple-negative breast cancer for basal-like or non–basal-like features. “Triple-negative breast cancer is an extremely heterogeneous group, and most oncologists are aware of that. To my knowledge, testing for basal-like vs non–basal-like disease is not in the National Comprehensive Cancer Network® Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology, and it is not routinely done. Triple-negative breast cancer is a major research priority,” commented Dr. Arteaga.

“The first step is the need for education from research on the phenotypes of triple-negative breast cancer. At this point, I would not yet recommend that a patient who is diagnosed with triple-negative breast cancer routinely ask her doctor whether she has non–basal-like breast cancer,” he stated. “We need to define this phenotype better first.” ■

DISCLOSURE: Dr. Arteaga reported no conflicts of interest.