Breast Cancer

New drugs and collaborative care may be key to overcoming trial closures, weak guidelines, and inefficiencies.

Sacituzumab govitecan improves outcomes but requires careful management of adverse effects.

Panelists discuss how HER2 testing optimization requires multisite sampling and quantitative assessment methods to account for intratumoral heterogeneity. Beyond HER2, biomarkers such as PI3K mutations, hormone receptor status, and tumor mutational burden can guide therapy selection for metastatic breast cancer (mBC), enabling more personalized treatment approaches.

Panelists discuss how antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) show varying efficacy and adverse event (AE) profiles based on their payload potency, linker stability, and drug-to-antibody ratio. Cleavable linkers enable targeted drug release but may increase toxicity, while noncleavable designs offer better stability. Payload selection impacts both therapeutic index and AEs, with more potent warheads requiring careful optimization of targeting and release kinetics.

Panelists discuss how antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) combine monoclonal antibodies with cytotoxic payloads, enabling precise targeting of breast cancer (BC) cells through specific antigen recognition. Upon binding, the ADC-antigen complex is internalized, releasing the toxic payload inside cancer cells while largely sparing healthy tissue. This targeted approach offers improved efficacy and reduces systemic toxicity compared with traditional chemotherapy's broad cytotoxic effects.

Panelists discuss how the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) and American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO)/College of American Pathologists (CAP) guidelines for HER2-negative breast cancer (BC) have evolved to recognize HER2-low (IHC 1+  or 2+/ISH-negative) and HER2-ultra low (IHC 0) as distinct categories. These classifications, particularly HER2-low, guide eligibility for targeted therapies such as trastuzumab deruxtecan, expanding treatment options beyond traditional chemotherapy for previously categorized HER2-negative patients.

Using new treatment advances, traditional medications, genetic profiles, immunotherapies, and individualized plans enables providers to improve outcomes for patients with TPBC.

Black women have higher rates of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) incidence and mortality than the general US population. Despite this, they are underrepresented in TNBC clinical trials.

Africa's unparalleled genetic diversity presents both a challenge and an opportunity to advance precision medicine, with a focus on leveraging pharmacogenetics to improve drug efficacy and reduce adverse reactions.

Catriona Jamieson, MD, PhD, discusses the role of stress-activated base editors like ADAR1p150 and APOBEC enzymes in cancer progression and highlights innovative approaches to halt these processes and improve therapeutic outcomes.

The Trop-2-tagreting antibody drug conjugate facilitated improved intracranial penetration with favorable tolerability.

Topical, targeted drug delivery increases drug concentrations at the desired site while also reducing toxicity and unwanted adverse effects.

Digoxen is the active ingredient found in the foxglove plant and is commonly used to treat heart failure.

Presence of comorbidities in older patients with breast cancer complicates treatment decisions.

Black and Native American patients were about 2 to 3 times more likely to die of cancer compared with White patients, and women younger than 50 years were affected more than male patients.

Experts presented results that may transform treatment and clinical practice strategies.

Hormonal contraceptives did not increase breast cancer risk in patients with BRCA2 mutations.

Brentuximab vedotin is approved for treatment of adult and pediatric with classical Hodgkin lymphoma in combination with chemotherapy.

Pharmacists play a vital role in cancer prevention and early detection by educating patients on risk factors, counseling on screening guidelines, and promoting adherence to evidence-based recommendations for common cancers, such as breast, cervical, colorectal, lung, prostate, and skin cancer.

Inclusion of AI improved detection and reduced instances of false-positive test results.

Of these chemicals, 414 were found to be commonly used in plastics and consumer goods, such as food packaging and personal care products.

Pharmacy Times attended the 2024 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium from December 10 to December 13.

Pharmacists identify appropriate patients for new oral and antibody drug conjugate treatments and provide counseling to help patients navigate the evolving treatment landscape.

Advancements in prevention address cancer risk in high-risk patients and BRCA mutation carriers.

Combining CDK4/6 and PDL-1 inhibitors enhances treatment responses in patients with hormone receptor positive and triple-negative breast cancer.