Articles

A trend toward improved overall survival (OS) with eribulin mesylate (Halaven) was demonstrated in the global phase 3 clinical trial comparing this newer agent with capecitabine (Xeloda) in patients with previously treated metastatic breast cancer.

Some patients who test HER2 negative by conventional tests may still benefit from anti-HER2 agents. This is the conclusion of a study that examined HER2 mutations in detail which was presented by Ron Bose, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor, Oncology Division, Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine in St Louis, MO.

The incidence of false-negative immunohistochemistry (IHC) is only 1% in patients with primary breast cancer, according to a prospective multicenter Canadian study presented at the meeting.

For patients with HER2-positive early breast cancer, 1 year of treatment with trastuzumab (Herceptin) remains the standard of care, according to the HERA trial and a subanalysis of the PHARE study.

Determining HER2 status utilizing novel central laboratory testing techniques has been shown to be more reliable than routine local HER2 testing, such as immunohistochemistry or in situ hybridization.

Ten-year disease control in patients with nonmetastatic breast cancer did not differ significantly between patients treated with a reduced-dose hypofractionated radiation therapy compared with a standard protocol, according to a study presented at the meeting.

Low-dose intraoperative radiation therapy has proved comparable with whole-breast irradiation for preventing breast cancer recurrence, according to the preliminary results of the large randomized Targeted Intraoperative Radiotherapy (TARGIT-A) trial.

Fewer than 0.5% of patients with breast cancer develop leukemia associated with chemotherapy, but this is 60% higher than the proportion documented in a previous analysis, according to a report based on the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) database.

Adjuvant chemotherapy should be recommended for patients with completely resected, isolated local or regional recurrence (ILRR) of breast cancer, and the argument is strongest for women with estrogen receptor (ER)-positive tumor recurrences, according to the results of the international Chemotherapy as Adjuvant for Locally Recurrent Breast Cancer (CALOR) trial.

Two studies presented in San Antonio reached conflicting conclusions regarding the value of dose-dense chemotherapy in patients with early breast cancer.