Symposium Overview and Purpose

Recently, new chemotherapeutic and biologic agents have increased the available options for managing metastatic breast cancer. Advances include the introduction of newer agents with more favorable toxicity profiles, the availability of oral chemotherapeutic agents, demonstrations of increased benefit with specific chemotherapeutic combinations, integration of biologic agents with chemotherapy, and newer techniques to tailor therapy based on tumor and host genetics.

Despite these advances, considerable controversy exists regarding which regimens represent optimal choices for frontline and subsequent therapy and what factors are most important in making such decisions. Using a case-based approach, this symposium will examine available treatment options, including single-agent regimens compared to combinations with other chemotherapies or targeted therapies and the potential for biologic markers to guide treatment decisions.

Target Audience

This educational activity is directed toward medical and surgical oncologists, nurses, and other health care professionals interested in the treatment of breast cancer. Fellows in training with research and patient management interests in breast cancer are also invited to attend.

Learning Objectives

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

• Discuss available chemotherapeutic options for the treatment of metastatic breast cancer, including
  anthracyclines, taxanes, oral fluoropyrimidines, and other antimetabolites
• Explain the risk:benefit analysis of chemotherapy combination regimens compared to single-agent
  chemotherapeutic regimens in specific clinical scenarios involving patients with metastatic breast cancer
• Describe the biologic and clinical basis for the use of chemotherapy combined with newer targeted
  agents, such as HER2 or VEGF pathway inhibitors
• Explain the potential benefits from using neoadjuvant therapy for locally advanced breast cancer to
  evaluate the utility of specific investigational agents or regimens
• Review genetic and protein markers in tumors and genetic polymorphisms/mutations that might
  be useful in selecting chemotherapy for individual patients

CME Accreditation and Credit Designation

Physicians: 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 2 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Physician Assistants: AAPA accepts category 1 credit from AOACCME, Prescribed credit from AAFP, and AMA Category 1 CME credit for the PRA from organizations accredited by the ACCME.

Acknowledgement

Supported by an educational grant from

Roche