Article Details - Overview
New Developments in Endocrine Therapy and Bone-Targeted Agents for Breast Cancer
Cancer Summaries & Commentaries Vol. 2, No. 1
This activity is not sanctioned by, nor a part of, the 31st Annual San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium.
Release Date: April 1, 2009
Expiration Date: April 1, 2010
Publication Overview
Authors
Medical writer: Paul Card, PhD; Medical writer: Timothy Quill, PhD; Medical writer: Tristin Abair, PhD; Reviewed by: Debu Tripathy, MD
Overview and Purpose
Endocrine therapy has greatly improved outcomes in women with hormone receptor–positive breast cancer, but controversies and questions still exist regarding the optimal use of hormonal agents. These include whether postmenopausal women should receive up-front aromatase inhibitors (AIs) alone rather than as part of a switching strategy involving selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs) and if the previously established benefits from the use of up-front AIs compared to SERMs apply to all classes of AIs. Clinical trials are investigating these and other issues related to the use of endocrine therapy for breast cancer. The potential utility of combining endocrine therapy with HER-targeted agents is being evaluated in the treatment of hormone receptor–positive/HER2+ disease, and the extent of benefit from the use of up-front bone-targeted agents for the prevention of bone loss and fractures resulting from adjuvant AI therapy has been extensively studied. Novel strategies, such as the use of low- compared to standard-dose estrogen for eliciting tumor responses in patients with acquired resistance to AIs, have also been evaluated. Results from studies investigating these issues have been recently presented, and these data will provide oncologists with valuable information on incorporating these highly effective agents into treatment protocols in an effort to reduce the risk of recurrence while maintaining the greatest possible degree of overall health in patients with breast cancer.
The purpose of this activity is to update physicians on the use of endocrine therapy and bone-targeted agents as well as associated bone-related complications arising from therapy in the management of breast cancer and to highlight key issues involved in the selection of treatment plans based on recently presented clinical trial data.
Target Audience
This activity is intended for medical oncologists involved in the care of patients with breast cancer. No specific skills or knowledge other than a basic training in oncology is required for successful participation in this activity.
Learning Objectives
Upon completion of this educational activity, you should be able to:
- Compare adjuvant therapy with an up-front AI to that with a SERM or with sequencing strategies using these 2 classes of agents in postmenopausal women with hormone receptor–positive breast cancer
- Compare adjuvant therapy with an up-front irreversible steroidal AI to that with a SERM in postmenopausal women with hormone receptor–positive, early-stage breast cancer
- Evaluate the efficacy and safety of up-front and delayed administration of bisphosphonate therapy in postmenopausal women receiving adjuvant AI therapy for hormone receptor–positive breast cancer
- Assess the efficacy and safety of bisphosphonate therapy for patients at moderate or higher risk for fragility fractures receiving adjuvant AI therapy for hormone receptor–positive breast cancer
- Evaluate the efficacy and safety of combining an AI with a small-molecule epidermal growth factor receptor/HER2 inhibitor as first-line therapy for postmenopausal women with hormone receptor–positive advanced breast cancer
- Assess the efficacy and safety of low-dose compared to high-dose steroidal estrogen in postmenopausal women with hormone receptor–positive metastatic breast cancer that has progressed following AI therapy
Instructions for Participation
- Read the following information before entering the educational activity.
- Complete the Pretest.
- Study the educational activity.
- Complete the Posttest.
- Answer the evaluation questions.
- 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.
You will be asked to login
or create an account.