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In patients with early-stage triple-negative breast cancer, the addition of atezolizumab to standard adjuvant chemotherapy provided no benefit over chemotherapy alone in the final analysis of the phase III ALEXANDRA/IMpassion030 trial. The results were presented at the 2024 European Breast Cancer...
Clinical trials are now demonstrating the value of immune checkpoint inhibitors as neoadjuvant therapy in certain subsets of patients with hormone receptor–positive, HER2-negative breast cancer. Hope S. Rugo, MD, FASCO, described this newer approach—specifically, which subsets of patients may...
Patients may be less likely to return for subsequent screening mammography following a false-positive recall for additional imaging or biopsy, according to a recent study published by Miglioretti et al in the Annals of Internal Medicine. The findings raised concerns regarding the potential...
In patients with hormone receptor–positive metastatic breast cancers with HER2-low or HER2-ultralow expression, treatment with the antibody-drug conjugate fam-trastuzumab deruxtecan-nxki (T-DXd) was found to be superior to chemotherapy after one or more lines of endocrine therapy. In...
Annual mammographic screening appeared to be associated with a reduced risk of late-stage breast cancer and an overall survival benefit across clinical and demographic subgroups of patients older than age 40, according to an observational analysis reported by Zuley et al in the Journal of Clinical...
Just 28% of U.S. women may be aware that a healthful diet can lower the risk of developing breast cancer, according to a recent survey conducted by the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine and Morning Consult. Background The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine is a national...
In an Austrian study reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Brunner et al identified the incidence of medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw over 20 years of follow-up in patients with breast cancer who had bone metastases and were receiving antiresorptive medication. Study Details and...
Women with breast cancer during pregnancy may have a good prognosis and a low risk of adverse obstetric and perinatal outcomes, according to three recent studies published by Lundberg et al in Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica, Gkekos et al in ESMO Open, and Lundberg et al in Acta...
In a trial reported in JAMA Oncology, Julia S. Wong, MD, and colleagues found that hypofractionated postmastectomy radiation therapy did not improve outcomes in the physical well-being domain of the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy–Breast (FACT-B) assessment vs conventionally fractionated...
As reported in The Lancet Oncology by Williams et al, long-term follow-up of the phase III Scottish Breast Conservation Trial indicated that postoperative radiotherapy was associated with a significantly reduced risk of ipsilateral recurrence vs no radiotherapy in patients undergoing...
Researchers have shown that participating in an exercise program may improve pain, fatigue, and the quality of life in patients with metastatic breast cancer, according to a recent study published by Hiensch et al in Nature Medicine. Background “Although there’s substantial evidence for the...
A prospective-retrospective translational study reported in JAMA Oncology by Ruth M. O’Regan, MD, and colleagues confirmed the prognostic value of the Breast Cancer Index (BCI) in a Suppression of Ovarian Function Trial (SOFT) trial–derived population of premenopausal women with early-stage,...
In an analysis involving the phase III SENOMAC trial reported in The Lancet Oncology, de Boniface et al found that the use of completion axillary lymph node dissection (cALND) to identify pN2-3 status (at least four nodal metastases) in patients with breast cancer, and thus qualification for...
The antibody-drug conjugate sacituzumab govitecan-hziy may be effective in treating patients with breast cancer who have brain metastases or recurrent glioblastoma multiforme, according to a recent study published by Balinda et al in Nature Communications. Background About 50% of all female...
Women who develop gestational diabetes may not have a higher likelihood of being diagnosed with breast cancer, according to recent findings that will be presented by Christensen et al at the upcoming European Association for the Study of Diabetes Annual Meeting 2024 (Abstract 180). Background...
The risk of developing breast cancer may be increased among some women who undergo menopause prior to age 46, according to a recent study published by Allen-Brady et al in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism. Background Early menopause occurs in women aged 40 to 45 years. Primary ...
Cancer screening may cost more than $40 billion annually in the United States, according to a recent study published by Halpern et al in the Annals of Internal Medicine. Study Methods and Results In the recent modeling study, investigators used national health-care survey and cost resources data to ...
The results of routine blood tests could be used to speed up cancer diagnoses among patients with abdominal symptoms, according to a recent study published by Rafiq et al in PLOS Medicine. Background Most patients who report symptoms of abdominal pain or bloating to their physicians are referred...
A novel artificial intelligence (AI) model may prove to be effective at predicting which patients with breast cancer are likely to develop chronic pain, according to a recent study published by Park et al in the Journal of Nursing Scholarship. The findings may help physicians to better understand...
A model-based analysis reported in JACC: CardioOncology by Busschaert et al suggested that the heart-sparing deep inspiration breath-hold vs free-breathing radiation therapy technique is cost-effective—despite increasing treatment time—and may improve the long-term cardiovascular health of patients ...
In an analysis from the NRG Oncology/NSABP B-42 trial reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Priya Rastogi, MD, and colleagues found that the 70-gene MammaPrint assay findings did not predict the distant recurrence benefit of extended letrozole therapy vs placebo in patients with...
This is Part 3 of Next-Generation Therapies for Metastatic Hormone Receptor–Positive Breast Cancer: Where Are We Headed?, a three-part video roundtable series. Scroll down to watch the other videos from this roundtable. In this video, Drs. Virginia Kaklamani, William Gradishar, and Komal Jhaveri discuss the management of endocrine-resistant metastatic breast cancer. The patient is a 66-year-old postmenopausal woman who was originally diagnosed with a right ER 30% PR 20% HER2 2+ breast cancer. She underwent a partial mastectomy showing a 2.1-cm tumor and one positive lymph node; her Oncotype recurrence score was 35. She received adjuvant chemotherapy and radiation therapy and then started treatment with aromatase inhibitor (AI) and abemaciclib. While on abemaciclib, she presents with shortness of breath, and imaging shows a pleural effusion and lung nodules. A lung biopsy confirms ER 20% PR 0% HER2 1+ breast cancer. In the conversation that follows, the faculty discuss whether antibody-drug conjugates are an option in the first-line setting for endocrine-resistant disease; how to approach sequencing of antibody-drug conjugates; and the appropriate management of toxicities associated with these agents.
This is Part 2 of Next-Generation Therapies for Metastatic HR-Positive Breast Cancer: Where Are We Headed?, a three-part video roundtable series. Scroll down to watch the other videos from this roundtable. In this video, Drs. Virginia Kaklamani, William Gradishar, and Komal Jhaveri discuss the management of PIK3CA-mutated metastatic breast cancer. The patient is a 45-year-old premenopausal woman who was originally diagnosed with a right ER 90% PR 80% HER2 1+ breast cancer. She underwent a partial mastectomy, which revealed a 1.5-cm tumor with one positive lymph node. After receiving adjuvant chemotherapy followed by radiation therapy, she began treatment with ovarian function suppression (OFS), an aromatase inhibitor (AI), and abemaciclib. She completed 2 years of abemaciclib and continued OFS and AI. Now, 2 years later, she presents with increased fatigue and weight loss. Imaging shows two liver lesions and multiple bone metastases, and a liver biopsy confirms ER 50% PR 40% HER2 1+ breast cancer. In the conversation that follows, the faculty discuss combination treatment options for PIK3CA-mutated metastatic breast cancer; the importance of clinical trials; adverse events associated with PI3K inhibitors; and more.
This is Part 1 of Next-Generation Therapies for Metastatic HR-Positive Breast Cancer: Where Are We Headed?, a three-part video roundtable series. Scroll down to watch the other videos from this roundtable. In this video, Drs. Virginia Kaklamani, William Gradishar, and Komal Jhaveri discuss the management of ESR1-mutated metastatic breast cancer. The patient is a 54-year-old postmenopausal woman who was initially diagnosed with a left ER 90% PR 30% HER2 1+ breast cancer. She underwent a partial mastectomy, revealing a 2.3-cm tumor that was lymph node negative. Her Oncotype recurrence score was 21. After receiving radiation therapy, she completed 5 years of treatment with an aromatase inhibitor, but now 2 years later presents with back pain. Imaging shows three lesions in the lumbar spine, and a biopsy confirms ER 80% PR 40% HER2 1+ breast cancer. In the conversation that follows, the faculty discuss the utility of next-generation sequencing in the first-line setting; patient considerations when deciding on treatment after disease progression; the role of oral SERDs in ESR1-mutated metastatic breast cancer; and more.
Sara A. Hurvitz, MD, FACP, of Fred Hutch Cancer Center, discusses her presentation on new therapeutic strategies for HER2-positive metastatic disease including brain metastases. Dr. Hurvitz is Senior Vice President and Director, Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutch Cancer Center, and Professor, Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutch.
Patients with BRCA1- or BRCA2-mutated ovarian cancer may have a lower risk of developing breast cancer following treatment, according to a recent study published by Evans et al in Genetics in Medicine. Background Previous research has estimated that the risk of developing breast cancer by the age...
The results of a contemporary U.S. population–based cohort study published by Giannakeas et al in JAMA Oncology revealed that patients with unilateral breast cancer had an increased risk of breast cancer–related death after developing contralateral disease. Although the findings also showed a...
Guest Editor’s Note: Chemotherapy and its side effects can lead to decreased physical activity and poor diet quality, resulting in unfavorable changes in physical functioning and quality of life. However, adopting healthy behaviors during cancer treatments can be challenging because of physical,...
In a study reported in NEJM Evidence, Joseph A. Sparano, MD, and colleagues found that a risk score integrating the 21-gene recurrence score (RS) with clinicopathologic factors—the RSClin tool—performed well in predicting risk of late distant recurrence in patients with breast cancer. Study...
Kristin Rojas, MD, FACS, of the University of Miami, shares key points from her discussion on improving sexual health during breast cancer treatment. Dr. Rojas is an Associate Professor of Surgery in the DeWitt Daughtry Family Department of Surgery, Division of Surgery, Miller School of Medicine at University of Miami Health System. She presented her talk at the Annual International Congress on the Future of Breast Cancer East.
Joseph A. Sparano, MD, FACP, of Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, discusses his presentation on premenopausal patients with hormone receptor–positive early breast cancer. Dr. Sparano is the Ezra M. Greenspan, MD, Professor in Clinical Cancer Therapeutics, Chief of the Division of Hematology Oncology, and Deputy Director of the Tisch Cancer Institute at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York. He presented his talk at the Annual International Congress on the Future of Breast Cancer East.
Paolo Tarantino, MD, of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School, shares key points from his discussion on the current and future landscape of antibody-drug conjugates. Dr. Tarantino is an Advanced Research Fellow in the Breast Oncology Program at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School. He is also affiliated with the European Institute of Oncology. Dr. Tarantino presented his talk at the Annual International Congress on the Future of Breast Cancer East.
Aditya Bardia, MD, MPH, FASCO, of UCLA Health/Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, shares key points from his discussion on novel therapies targeting the estrogen receptor. Dr. Bardia is Professor, Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology/Oncology, and Director of Translational Research Integration. He presented his talk at the Annual International Congress on the Future of Breast Cancer West.
As reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology by Matikas et al, the prespecified end-of-study analysis of the European phase III PANTHER trial showed significant improvements in outcomes with tailored dose-dense vs standard adjuvant chemotherapy in patients with high-risk early breast cancer. As...
In a U.S. study reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Steven J. Katz, MD, MPH, and colleagues found that many women with early breast cancer and indications for genetic testing do not undergo said testing. Study Details The study involved data from 1,412 women aged 20 to 79 years...
Researchers have found that many eligible breast cancer survivors may not be receiving genetic counseling and testing, according to a recent study published by Katz et al in the Journal of Clinical Oncology. Background A growing proportion of cancer treatment and survivorship care relies on...
Some patients with a genetic predisposition for cancer may not qualify for genetic screenings under the current guidelines, according to a recent study published by Samadder et al in JCO Precision Oncology. Researchers are investigating how to advance personalized medicine and tailor prevention and ...
Heather McArthur, MD, MPH, talks about immunotherapy for high-risk, early-stage breast cancer. Dr. McArthur is Associate Professor in the Department of Internal Medicine and Clinical Director of the Breast Cancer Program at Simmons Cancer Center at UT Southwestern Medical Center, Houston. She presented her talk at the Annual International Congress on the Future of Breast Cancer West.
Aditya Bardia, MD, MPH, FASCO, of UCLA Health/Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, shares key points from his discussion on the current and future landscape of antibody-drug conjugates. Dr. Bardia is Professor, Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology/Oncology, and Director of Translational Research Integration. He presented his talk at the Annual International Congress on the Future of Breast Cancer West.
The search for biomarkers of response to immunotherapy is high on the list of cancer-related research efforts. A new classifier in triple-negative breast cancer is showing promise and is currently being validated in the I-SPY2.2 trial, according to Laura van ’t Veer, PhD, Professor of Laboratory...
Gender-affirming testosterone therapy may have a potential protective benefit in transmasculine patients at risk of breast cancer, according to a recent study published by Heng et al in Breast Cancer Research. Background To treat their gender dysphoria, some transmasculine patients undergo...
Researchers have developed a novel prompt, embedded in electronic health records, to flag older patients with early-stage breast cancer who may be at risk of unnecessary sentinel lymph node biopsy, according to a recent study published by Carleton et al in JAMA Surgery. Background “In breast...
In patients with triple-negative early breast cancer deemed to be at high risk for recurrence, 1 year of adjuvant avelumab did not significantly improve disease-free survival but did significantly improve overall survival and risk of distant disease–free survival events. The results from the...
Hormone-modulating therapy used to treat patients with breast cancer may be associated with a 7% lower risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias later in life, according to a recent study published by Cai et al in JAMA Network Open. Background About 67% of patients with breast...
In an Australian single-center trial reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Ramchand et al found that denosumab prevented bone loss vs placebo in premenopausal women with estrogen receptor–positive breast cancer receiving estradiol suppression therapy. Study Details In the double-blind...
In a single-center study reported in JAMA Network Open, Kerollos Nashat Wanis, MD, PhD, and colleagues found that women with breast cancer and a pathogenic BRCA1/2 variant who underwent breast-conserving therapy had a 71% rate of 10-year bilateral mastectomy–free survival. Study Details The study...
In a 5-year update of the phase II ATEMPT trial reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Tarantino et al found that 1 year of adjuvant ado-trastuzumab emtansine (T-DM1) was associated with “outstanding” long-term outcomes in patients with stage I HER2-positive breast cancer. Study Details In...
Researchers have developed a novel tool that may help to predict the risk of experiencing peripheral neuropathy following treatment with taxanes in patients with breast cancer, according to a recent study published by Engvall et al in npj Precision Oncology. The findings may aid physicians in...
In a Canadian study reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Hahn et al evaluated the impact of certain predictive models for local and invasive local recurrence in patients undergoing breast-conserving surgery with or without adjuvant radiotherapy for pure ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS)....
On November 16, 2023, capivasertib (Truqap) was approved for use with fulvestrant for patients with hormone receptor–positive, HER2-negative locally advanced or metastatic breast cancer with one or more PIK3CA/AKT1/PTEN alterations, following disease progression on at least one endocrine-based...