Breast Cancer (Issue 2)

The phase III METRIC trial is an ongoing randomized trial in triple-negative breast cancer that evaluated the safety and efficacy of the antibody-drug conjugate glembatumumab vedotin.

Breast-conserving therapy (BCT) and radiation in early-stage breast cancer has been shown to give patients about a 20% better chance of survival over the course of 10 years, moreso than their counterparts who opted had mastectomy.

Carey Anders, MD, assistant professor for the Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology and Oncology, UNC Chapel Hill, on the challenge of treating brain metastases in breast cancer. Anders says brain metastases generally portend a poor prognosis and treatment for them are currently scarce.

William Sikov, MD, associate director of Clinical Research, Program in Women

Matthew J. Ellis, MD, PhD, director, Sue Smith Breast Center at Baylor College of Medicine, discusses a recent study of palbociclib in primary breast cancer.

The PD-L1 inhibitor avelumab showcased promising overall response rates in patients with PD-L1-positive metastatic breast cancer, especially in patients with triple-negative breast cancer.

Risk complications from mastectomy plus reconstruction was doubled when compared to lumpectomy plus whole breast irradiation after adjustment for other treatment differences.

Treatment with standard neoadjuvant chemotherapy plus carboplatin and/or bevacizumab resulting in a pathologic complete response has been associated with improvement in event-free and overall survival in patients with triple-negative breast cancer.