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Conference Details - Overview

Emerging Strategies in Breast Cancer: Targeting Tomorrow's Therapies Today

Hyatt Regency Cambridge
Cambridge, MA
Sep 13, 2008

Conference Overview

Conference Description & Purpose

The Emerging Strategies in Breast Cancer: Targeting Tomorrow’s Therapies Today 1-day conference will address emerging treatments for patients with breast cancer, with an emphasis on new pathways and novel agents in both early and later stages of clinical development. The goal of this conference is to provide oncologists and academic researchers with an overview of current knowledge regarding the biologic mechanisms underlying the development and progression of breast cancer as well as molecular tools in development for the individualization of therapy based upon unique tumor characteristics. Controversial and emerging topics will be addressed, including new approaches to endocrine therapy and chemotherapy, the evolving role of HER2-targeted agents and angiogenesis inhibitors, current and future uses of breast cancer genotyping, and the optimal treatment of metastatic breast cancer. The conference will also focus on new agents in clinical development that will have an impact on the natural history of breast cancer.

Target Audience

This educational program is directed toward medical oncologists and academic researchers with an interest in the treatment of breast cancer. Fellows, nurses, physician assistants, and pharmacists in oncology are also invited to attend.

Learning Objectives

At the conclusion of this symposium, you should be able to:

• Review the optimal choices of adjuvant chemotherapy for patients with breast cancer and next-generation clinical trials exploring the integration of antimetabolites and biologic agents
• Identify the genomic and proteomic tools currently under development to characterize breast cancers at a molecular level and their potential uses in treatment individualization
• Discuss strategies for optimizing the use of adjuvant endocrine therapy and new approaches to targeting hormone receptor–positive breast cancer
• Evaluate treatments for bone-related adverse events, including bisphosphonates and inhibitors of RANK/RANKL, cathepsin K, TGF-β, and Src signaling pathways
• Determine the optimal use of HER2-targeted agents in early-stage breast cancer, including patient selection criteria
• Review testing guidelines for HER2 and discuss the efficacy of HER2-targeted therapies based upon levels of HER2 overexpression or amplification
• Summarize the use of novel targeted agents, such as antibody or small-molecule inhibitors of the VEGF, IGF-1R, or ErbB signaling pathways, in patients with advanced or metastatic breast cancer
• Evaluate the efficacy and safety of new therapeutic options under investigation for the treatment of central nervous system metastases
• Assess the value of emerging cytotoxic agents currently being investigated as therapies for breast cancer, including epothilones, halichondrin B analogues, and other microtubule-targeting agents
• Discuss the biology of basal-like breast cancer, including potential targets for therapeutic intervention
• Describe the impact of host genetics on breast cancer prevention and management, including assessment of risk, and the potential utility of pharmacogenomics in treatment selection