Integrated Oncology Learning - Activity Details

  1. Read the Activity Overview
  2. Take the Pretest
  3. Take the Activity
  4. Take the Posttest/Evaluation
  5. View/Print CME Certificate

To begin this activity, read all of the conditions in the Activity Terms box at the bottom of this page, then click "I Accept the Terms."

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Continuing Education Information

Physicians' Education Resource is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

Physicians' Education Resource designates this educational activity for a maximum of 0.5 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. Physicians should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Online Grand Rounds:
Chemotherapy Options in Metastatic Breast Cancer: Combination Strategies

0.5 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™
Release Date: August 7, 2009
Expiration Date: August 7, 2010

Lecture Overview

The primary goals of therapy for patients with metastatic breast cancer are to extend survival and relieve symptoms. In patients with HER2– breast cancer, systemic chemotherapy remains the foundation of treatment, but no single optimal regimen has emerged. Ongoing efforts to improve outcomes in these patients are focusing on the combination of active cytotoxic agents with a variety of newer therapeutic agents. The combination of antiangiogenic agents with cytotoxic chemotherapies, including taxanes, anthracyclines, and antimetabolites, has resulted in improved efficacy in patients with advanced breast cancer. Combinations of antimetabolites and microtubule-targeting agents, such as taxanes or epothilones, have demonstrated efficacy in both first- and second-line settings in these patients. Recent insights into the molecular biology of estrogen receptor–negative/progesterone receptor–negative/HER2– breast cancer (“triple-negative” breast cancer) have led to the development of targeted DNA repair inhibitors that have shown promising efficacy and safety results when added to DNA-damaging cytotoxic therapy in patients with metastatic disease.

The purpose of this activity is to update physicians on the latest efficacy and safety data on novel combination therapies in the treatment of patients with HER2– locally advanced/metastatic breast cancer.

Presented by Physicians’ Education Resource in conjunction with the Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern University.

This educational activity is directed toward medical oncologists and other specialists practicing in the community or academic setting who are interested in the treatment of breast cancer. Physicians involved in the long-term management of cancer patients as well as fellows, oncology physician assistants, oncology nurses, research nurses, and others with an interest in the treatment of patients with breast cancer are also invited to participate.

Upon completion of this educational activity, you should be able to:

  • Evaluate the efficacy and safety of combination regimens that include antiangiogenic and cytotoxic agents as first-line therapy for patients with HER2– locally recurrent/metastatic breast cancer
  • Assess clinical data on novel cytotoxic combination regimens for patients with locally advanced/metastatic breast cancer
  • Summarize data on the combination of targeted and cytotoxic therapies for patients with metastatic triple-negative breast cancer

Instructions for Participation

  1. Read the following information before entering the educational activity.
  2. Complete the Pretest.
  3. View the Flash video presentation and slides.
  4. Complete the Posttest.
  5. Answer the evaluation questions.
  6. After completion of the Pretest and successful completion of the Posttest and evaluation, you will receive your certificate online.

You will be permitted 2 attempts to successfully complete the Posttest.

Complete the test(s) and evaluation by August 7, 2010 to receive your certificate online.

Read all of the conditions in the Activity Terms box below. You must accept the CME Activity Terms in order to continue:

Disclosure Policy

It is the policy of Physicians’ Education Resource to ensure balance, independence, objectivity, and scientific rigor in all of its educational activities. As an organization accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), Physicians’ Education Resource requires everyone who is in a position to control the content of an educational activity, including spouses/partners, to disclose all relevant financial relationships with any commercial interest. The ACCME defines “relevant financial relationships” as financial relationships in any amount occurring within the past 12 months that create a conflict of interest. Physicians’ Education Resource has implemented a mechanism to identify and resolve all conflicts of interest prior to the activity.

Steven T. Rosen, MD, FACP
Research Funding – Berlex Oncology, Celgene Corporation, Wyeth Pharmaceuticals
Paid Consultant – Abbott Laboratories; Allos Therapeutics, Inc.; Berlex Oncology; Biocryst Pharmaceuticals, Inc.; Celgene Corporation; CT International; Eli Lilly and Company; Genentech, Inc.; Genta Incorporated; Ligand Pharmaceuticals, Inc.; Pharmion Corporation; Sigma-tau Pharmaceuticals, Inc.; SuperGen; THERAKOS, Inc.; Wyeth Pharmaceuticals
Speaker’s Bureau – Merck & Co., Inc.
Other Remuneration – Celgene Corporation; Genentech, Inc.; Ligand Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

William J. Gradishar, MD, FACP
Paid Consultant – Abraxis BioScience, LLC; AstraZeneca; Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation; Pfizer Inc.

PER Editorial Staff
No relevant relationships to disclose

This CME activity includes discussion of investigational and/or unlabeled uses of drugs, including the use of bevacizumab in combination with docetaxel, albumin-bound paclitaxel, capecitabine, or an anthracycline; gemcitabine in combination with docetaxel, carboplatin, or BSI-201; pegylated liposomal doxorubicin; patupilone; ZK-EPO; KOS-862; BMS-310705; sunitinib; axitinib; pazopanib; sorafenib; vandetinib; cediranib; vatalanib; AV951; AMG706; AEE788; and SU014813 in metastatic breast cancer. Please refer to the full prescribing information for each drug discussed in this activity for FDA-approved dosing, indications, and warnings.

Commercial Support

Educational grants for this activity were provided by Genentech BioOncology and Novartis Oncology.

Software Requirements

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Disclaimer

The views and opinions expressed in this learning activity are those of the presenters and do not necessarily reflect the views of the sponsor, supporter, or publisher. Although great care has been taken in compiling and checking the information given in this activity to ensure accuracy, the presenters and Physicians’ Education Resource and its servants or agents shall not be responsible or in any way liable for the continued currency of the information or for any errors, omissions, or inaccuracies in this activity, whether arising from negligence or otherwise howsoever or for any consequences arising therefrom.

Please consult full prescribing information for any drugs or procedures discussed within.

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All rights reserved. No part of this activity may be translated, reproduced, stored, or transmitted by any means or in any type of media form including electronic, mechanical photocopying, recording, broadcasting, or otherwise without prior permission from the publisher.

©Copyright 2009 by Physicians’ Education Resource.

All correspondence should be directed to:
Editor, Chemotherapy Options in Metastatic Breast Cancer: Combination Strategies
Physicians’ Education Resource
3500 Maple Ave.
Suite 700
Dallas, TX 75219
Phone: (214) 367-3400
Fax: (214) 367-3304
E-mail: editor@cancerlearning.com

140-8640_03

Educational Grants

An educational grant for this activity was provided by:


  1. Genentech BioOncology
  2. Novartis Oncology