BREAST CANCER

The role of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) is expanding in cancer care, necessitating a more involved role for pathologists to quantify immune infiltrates, K.P. Siziopikou, MD, PhD, suggested during a presentation at the 2018 Lynn Sage Breast Cancer Symposium.

Patients with HER2-positive, microsatellite instability-high (MSI-H), and <em>NTRK</em> gene fusion-positive breast cancer likely benefit more than others from molecular profiling. In a presentation at the 2018 Lynn Sage Breast Cancer Symposium in Chicago, Illinois,&nbsp;Sledge discussed the growing use of molecular profiling, especially for metastatic cancers, as well said the decreasing cost of sequencing.

Following recent FDA clearances, using scalp cooling to&nbsp;limit alopecia in patients receiving chemotherapy is closer to becoming a more common practice,&nbsp;according to a presentation at the 2018 Lynn Sage Breast Cancer Symposium.

Pontchartrain Cancer Center was founded in 2005 to serve an area of Louisiana that lacked the necessary resources for cancer care. This community cancer center, with 2 locations in Southeast Louisiana, accommodates any patient to walk through its doors, filling a major unmet need for the community in this rural area.

HER2+ Early-Stage Breast Cancer: Perioperative Approaches

Only 1 treatment option is currently&nbsp;available for treating&nbsp;patients with metastatic germline&nbsp;<em>BRCA</em>-mutated triple-negative&nbsp;breast cancer, but research&nbsp;into novel therapies, including PI3K/conjugates could soon result in a host of new therapies for this hard-to-treat disease.

Recurrent Metastatic ER+ Breast Cancer

The primary endpoint for the&nbsp;phase III SOLAR-1 trial has been met, with&nbsp;improved progression-free survival seen with the&nbsp;combination of&nbsp;alpelisib and&nbsp;fulvestrant compared with&nbsp;fulvestrant alone in postmenopausal women and men with HR-positive, HER2-negative,&nbsp;<em>PIK3CA</em>-mutant advanced or metastatic breast cancer that had progressed after aromatase inhibitor treatment with or without a CDK4/6 inhibitor.

Metastatic Triple-Negative Breast Cancer