Evolving Treatment Standards for Primary Breast Cancer

Ms. Major Campos is a clinical nurse specialist in medical oncology at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York City. She received her master’s degree in nursing from Columbia University in New York City. She works in a collaborative practice model managing patients receiving medical care for breast cancer. Her practice focuses on symptom management, patient education, triage and protocol coordination. Ms. Major Campos is viewed as a clinical expert and lectures extensively on breast cancer patient care.

Maureen Major Campos, RN, MS, reported a financial interest/relationship or affiliation in the form of: Speakers’ Bureau, Genentech BioOncology, Abraxis Oncology, and Amgen, Inc.

Primary Breast Cancer: Diagnosis and Treatment Planning

It is estimated that more than 40,000 breast cancer-related deaths will occur in 2007. Despite this alarming statistic, mortality rates have been declining in recent years due to advances in detection and treatment strategies. Significant strides have been made in the treatment of early stage disease with the goal of preventing recurrence in visceral organs. Historically, mammogram, clinical breast exam, and self-breast exam have served as the first line of defense against metastatic disease. With the increased understanding of the risk factors associated with breast cancer, including molecular hallmarks of the disease, more effective screening assays and treatment approaches have been developed.

The detection of breast tissue anomalies has been greatly enhanced with the advent of magnetic resonance imaging in breast cancer screening. Although this increased sensitivity comes at the cost of increased false-positives, it provides the decided advantage of identifying malignant tumors that would otherwise go undetected and untreated with the use of traditional screening tools. Additionally, the use of algorithms as predictors of best-suited treatment regimens and disease recurrence has improved the ability of clinicians to develop and implement effective treatment schemes. This presentation will provide an overview of the current therapeutic landscape for primary breast cancer. It is hoped that continued advances in detection and treatment will further prolong overall survival in women diagnosed with early stage disease.

Dr. Kaklamani is an assistant professor in the Division of Hematology/Oncology at Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois. She received her doctor of medicine from Athens National University in Athens, Greece. Dr. Kaklamani completed her residency training at Newton Wellesley Hospital, Newton, Massachusetts, and her fellowship training at McGraw Medical Center of Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois. Her research is focused on the role of TGF-β‚ and the genetic link to breast and colon cancer risk. She has written numerous publications on treatment options for breast cancer.

Virginia Kaklamani, MD, DSc, reported no areas of conflict.

Clinical Trials Updates for Breast Cancer Adjuvant Therapy

The goal of treating early breast cancer is to prevent (cure) or delay recurrence and death. Even node-negative breast cancers have the potential for recurrence and are associated with a risk of death as high as 22% at 10 years follow-up. Treatment for early breast cancer can be locoregional, aimed at preventing recurrence in the ispilateral breast and regional tissues and lymph nodes, or systemic, aimed primarily at eradicating any breast cancer cells that have spread elsewhere in the body but are too few to be detected by physical examination or imaging. This presentation reviews recent clinical trials exploring the role of systemic therapies, including chemotherapy, endocrine therapy, and targeted therapy, in the treatment of breast cancer in the adjuvant setting.

Dr. Pelusi is an oncology nurse practitioner at Northern Arizona Hematology & Oncology Associates in Sedona. She is also a nursing instructor at Grand Canyon University in Tempe and at the University of Phoenix. She received her doctorate in nursing from the University of Arizona in Tucson. Dr. Pelusi is a nationally recognized expert on various oncology nursing topics, including survivorship, screening, and detection, and consults regularly for hospitals, home health agencies, hospices, and private practices.

Jody Pelusi, PhD, FNP, AOCN^®, reported a financial interest/relationship or affiliation in the form of: Advisory Board, Roche Laboratories, Inc., sanofi-aventis U.S., and Celgene Corporation; Speakers’ Bureau, Roche Laboratories, Inc., sanofi-aventis U.S., and Celgene Corporation.

Potential Acute and Long-Term Side Effects: A Nurse's Challenge

The development of more aggressive and effective agents in the treatment of breast cancer has led to increased survivorship of patients. However, exposure to higher and prolonged doses of therapeutic agents increases the risk for treatment-related side effects, including cardiotoxicity, neuropathy, and menopausal symptoms. This presentation will provide an overview of the therapeutic landscape in breast cancer and strategies to effectively assess and manage acute and long-term toxicities to optimize patient survivorship.