This activity is intended for medical oncologists, breast cancer surgeons and other healthcare providers involved in the treatment of breast cancer.
OVERVIEW OF ACTIVITY
Breast cancer remains the most frequently diagnosed cancer in women, and in 2013 in the United States alone the disease culminated in an estimated 232,340 new cases and 39,620 estimated deaths. Advances in screening and prevention have resulted in a steady down-stage migration at the time of disease presentation, such that only 5% of women have identifiable distant metastases at primary diagnosis. Because of this, the number of individuals living with breast cancer has increased substantially, as has the population “at risk” for recurrent disease.
The current clinical management of breast cancer is multidisciplinary and includes surgical resection of local disease with or without radiation therapy and the treatment of systemic disease (micro- or macroscopic) with cytotoxic chemotherapy, endocrine therapy, biologic therapy or combinations of these agents. The indication and utility of these local and systemic therapeutic options are largely based on a number of prognostic and predictive risk factors present within the patient or the tumor at the time of diagnosis. In fact, as the field of oncology is challenged to improve the precision with which it therapeutically targets malignant cells, biomarker-driven treatment algorithms have become the “norm” for many tumor types, including breast cancer.
These proceedings from a CME symposium during the 36th annual San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium explore the most significant therapeutic advances during the previous year by using the perspectives of leading breast cancer experts and employing a unique strategy centered on actual cases from community-based oncologists to frame a relevant discussion of how this information has aided in the refinement of current routine clinical practice and ongoing research. This CME activity will help medical oncologists integrate these findings into best-practice disease management strategies.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
- Identify clinical scenarios for which relative agreement and heterogeneity exist in clinical investigator patterns of care for breast cancer, and apply these findings, where appropriate, to the individualized care of patients.
- Recognize the evolving application of biomarkers and multigene assays in breast cancer management, and effectively use these tools to refine or individualize treatment plans for patients.
- Implement a long-term clinical plan for the management of early and advanced HER2-positive breast cancer, incorporating existing and recently approved targeted treatments.
- Assimilate new clinical trial evidence into the therapeutic algorithm for localized and advanced ER-positive, pre- and postmenopausal breast cancer.
- Demonstrate knowledge of emerging research to support alternative or novel chemotherapeutic regimens in the metastatic setting, and integrate these findings into best-practice disease management strategies.
- Counsel appropriately selected patients about participation in ongoing breast cancer clinical research.
CME credit is no longer available for this issue
CREDIT DESIGNATION STATEMENT
CME credit is no longer available for this issue
HOW TO USE THIS CME ACTIVITY
This CME activity consists of a video component. The participant should watch the video.
CME credit is no longer available for this issue
CONTENT VALIDATION AND DISCLOSURES
Research To Practice (RTP) is committed to providing its participants with high-quality, unbiased and state-of-the-art education. We assess potential conflicts of interest with faculty, planners and managers of CME activities. Real or apparent conflicts of interest are identified and resolved through a conflict of interest resolution process. In addition, all activity content is reviewed by both a member of the RTP scientific staff and an external, independent physician reviewer for fair balance, scientific objectivity of studies referenced and patient care recommendations.
FACULTY — The following faculty (and their spouses/partners) reported real or apparent conflicts of interest, which have been resolved through a conflict of interest resolution process:
Sunil Verma, MD, MSEd
Medical Oncologist
Chair, Breast Medical Oncology
Head, Breast Cancer Clinical Trials
Sunnybrook Odette Cancer Centre
Associate Professor, University of Toronto
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Advisory Committee: Amgen Inc, AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals Inc, Eisai Inc, Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation, Pfizer Inc, Roche Laboratories Inc; Speakers Bureau: Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation, Roche Laboratories Inc.
George W Sledge Jr, MD
Professor of Medicine
Chief, Division of Oncology
Department of Medicine
Stanford University School of Medicine
Stanford, California
Consulting Agreement: Genomic Health Inc.
Clifford Hudis, MD
Chief, Breast Cancer Medicine Service
Solid Tumor Division
Department of Medicine
Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center
Professor of Medicine
Weill Cornell Medical College
New York, New York
No real or apparent conflicts of interest to disclose.
Lisa A Carey, MD
Richardson and Marilyn Jacobs Preyer Distinguished Professor for Breast Cancer Research
Chief, Division of Hematology and Oncology
Physician-in-Chief
North Carolina Cancer Hospital
Associate Director for Clinical Research
Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center
Chapel Hill, North Carolina
No real or apparent conflicts of interest to disclose.
Hope S Rugo, MD
Professor of Medicine
Director, Breast Oncology and Clinical Trials Education
University of California, San Francisco
Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center
San Francisco, California
Contracted Research: Agensys Inc, a subsidiary of Astellas Pharma US, Amgen Inc, Eisai Inc, Genentech BioOncology, GlaxoSmithKline, ImClone Systems, a wholly owned subsidiary of Eli Lilly and Company, MacroGenics Inc, Merck, Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation, Plexxikon Inc; Speakers Bureau: Genomic Health Inc.
MODERATOR — Dr Love is president and CEO of Research To Practice, which receives funds in the form of educational grants to develop CME activities from the following commercial interests: AbbVie Inc, Algeta US, Amgen Inc, Astellas, AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP, Aveo Pharmaceuticals, Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals, Biodesix Inc, Biogen Idec, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals Inc, Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, Celgene Corporation, Daiichi Sankyo Inc, Dendreon Corporation, Eisai Inc, Exelixis Inc, Genentech BioOncology, Genomic Health Inc, Gilead Sciences Inc, Incyte Corporation, Lilly, Medivation Inc, Merck, Millennium: The Takeda Oncology Company, Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation, Novocure, Onyx Pharmaceuticals Inc, Prometheus Laboratories Inc, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Sanofi, Seattle Genetics, Spectrum Pharmaceuticals Inc, Teva Oncology and VisionGate Inc.
RESEARCH TO PRACTICE STAFF AND EXTERNAL REVIEWERS — The scientific staff and reviewers for Research To Practice have no real or apparent conflicts of interest to disclose.
This educational activity contains discussion of published and/or investigational uses of agents that are not indicated by the Food and Drug Administration. Research To Practice does not recommend the use of any agent outside of the labeled indications. Please refer to the official prescribing information for each product for discussion of approved indications, contraindications and warnings. The opinions expressed are those of the presenters and are not to be construed as those of the publisher or grantors.
This activity is supported by educational grants from AbbVie Inc, AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP, Eisai Inc, Genentech BioOncology, Genomic Health Inc and Lilly.
Hardware/Software Requirements:
A high-speed Internet connection
A monitor set to 1280 x 1024 pixels or more
Internet Explorer 7 or later, Firefox 3.0 or later, Chrome, Safari 3.0 or later
Adobe Flash Player 10.2 plug-in or later
Adobe Acrobat Reader
(Optional) Sound card and speakers for audio
Last review date: March 2014
Expiration date: March 2015