Breast Cancer

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Data suggest trastuzumab deruxtecan and pertuzumab may represent a new first-line standard of care for metastatic, HER2-positive breast cancer. | Image credit: Axel Kock - stock.adobe.com
Trastuzumab Deruxtecan Plus Pertuzumab Improves PFS vs Standard Care in HER2+ Breast Cancer

June 2nd 2025

Trastuzumab deruxtecan plus pertuzumab demonstrated statistically and clinically significant improvement in progression-free survival (PFS) in HER2-positive breast cancer, potentially representing a new standard of care.

AJMC
Comparing Breast Cancer Treatment Outcomes Between Fee-for-Service and Medicare Advantage

April 4th 2025

Screen-detected breast cancer. | Image Credit: keetazalay - stock.adobe.com
Interval Breast Cancer Risk High Despite Screening, Highlights Need for Risk-Based Approach

March 27th 2025

Diverse women and breast cancer support | Image Credit: ©Atstock Productions-stock.adobe.com
Same-Day Breast Imaging Gaps Reveal Health Care Disparities

February 18th 2025

Pink ribbon for breast cancer | Image Credit: Andrey Popov - stock.adobe.com
Black Patients With Metastatic Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Are Less Likely to Get Immunotherapy, Study Finds

February 17th 2025

Advances in CDK4/6 Inhibitor Use in High-Risk Early Breast Cancer: 2024 Updates

Experts discuss the impact of CDK4/G inhibitor use, including medication cost, total care costs, toxicity profiles, and strategies to manage and optimize patient outcomes in high-risk early breast cancer.

Watch the latest AJMC Peer Exchange on Advances in CDK4/6 Inhibitor Use in High-Risk Early Breast Cancer: 2024 Updates

More News

Women Frequently Encounter Employment, Insurance Issues After Breast Cancer Diagnosis
May 24th 2020

Women Frequently Encounter Employment, Insurance Issues After Breast Cancer Diagnosis

Maggie L. Shaw
A majority of women younger than 45 years faced employment and insurance coverage difficulties following treatment for early stage breast cancer, with 35% fearing loss of health insurance coverage if they left their current job during treatment—despite wanting to continue working.
Patients With Breast Cancer, COVID-19 Fared Well in Recent Study
May 20th 2020

Patients With Breast Cancer, COVID-19 Fared Well in Recent Study

Maggie L. Shaw
A small trial out of Columbia University Irving Medical Center shows encouraging recovery results among patients with breast cancer who contracted coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), which was confirmed by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, and/or high clinical or radiographic suspicion. Hospitalization was not necessary for nearly three-quarters of the patients.
Adverse Outcomes in Breast Cancer Are Magnified When Patients Have Poor Heart Health
May 16th 2020

Adverse Outcomes in Breast Cancer Are Magnified When Patients Have Poor Heart Health

Maggie L. Shaw
Female survivors of breast cancer total over 3.5 million in the United States alone. Coronary heart disease is a leading cause of death among this patient group, as it is for all women.
Advanced, Fatal Breast Cancers Reduced Through Mammography Screening
May 11th 2020

Advanced, Fatal Breast Cancers Reduced Through Mammography Screening

Maggie L. Shaw
Fatal breast cancers were reduced by 41% and advanced breast cancers by 25% following recommended screening for the disease by mammography in 9 counties in Sweden, emphasizing the importance of early detection.
Study Attempts to Define Gains From Chemo for HR-Positive, HER2-Positive Breast Cancer
May 9th 2020

Study Attempts to Define Gains From Chemo for HR-Positive, HER2-Positive Breast Cancer

Maggie L. Shaw
Compared with tumors smaller than 8 mm among patients with hormone receptor (HR)-positive, ERBB2-positive (formerly HER2-positive) breast cancer, tumors between 8 and 10 mm benefited more from postoperative chemotherapy.
Consensus Called for When Choosing Optimal Treatment for Breast Cancer–Related Lymphedema
May 7th 2020

Consensus Called for When Choosing Optimal Treatment for Breast Cancer–Related Lymphedema

Maggie L. Shaw
More than 20% of breast cancer survivors are severely affected by breast cancer–related lymphedema, with debilitating adverse effects that include depression, chronic pain, and recurrent skin infections—all affecting overall quality of life.
AJMC® in the Press, May 1, 2020
May 1st 2020

AJMC® in the Press, May 1, 2020

AJMC Staff
Coverage of our peer-reviewed research and news reporting in the healthcare and mainstream press.
Phase 3 EMBRACA Findings Suggest No Overall Survival Benefit With Talazoparib in Advanced BRCA-Mutated Breast Cancer
April 28th 2020

Phase 3 EMBRACA Findings Suggest No Overall Survival Benefit With Talazoparib in Advanced BRCA-Mutated Breast Cancer

Matthew Gavidia
In new data from the phase 3 EMBRACA trial presented yesterday at the American Association for Cancer Research annual meeting, researchers found that PARP inhibitor talazoparib exhibited no statistically significant benefit in the secondary end point of overall survival in patients with metastatic HER2-negative breast cancer and mutations in the BRCA1/2 genes.
Does Posttreatment Weight Loss Equate to Improved Quality of Life Among Survivors of Breast Cancer?
April 27th 2020

Does Posttreatment Weight Loss Equate to Improved Quality of Life Among Survivors of Breast Cancer?

Maggie L. Shaw
An international team of investigators recently tried to answer this question, focusing on women with diagnosed early-stage disease and considered obese, with a body mass index above 30 kg/m2.
FDA Approves Trodelvy for Metastatic Triple-Negative Breast Cancer
April 22nd 2020

FDA Approves Trodelvy for Metastatic Triple-Negative Breast Cancer

Gianna Melillo
The FDA granted accelerated approval to Immunomedics’ Trodelvy (sacituzumab govitecan-hziy) as the first antibody-drug conjugate that targets the Trop-2 antigen. Trodelvy is indicated for treatment of relapsed or refractory metastatic triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) that has spread to other parts of the body.
Can Melatonin Alleviate Symptoms of Cognitive Impairment in Patients With Breast Cancer?
April 22nd 2020

Can Melatonin Alleviate Symptoms of Cognitive Impairment in Patients With Breast Cancer?

Maggie L. Shaw
Cognitive impairment is a well-documented adverse effect of treatment from breast cancer. Complications from it can appear soon after treatment has begun or far down the road.
How Are Breast Cancer and Obesity Related? Possible New Link Discovered
April 18th 2020

How Are Breast Cancer and Obesity Related? Possible New Link Discovered

Maggie L. Shaw
There is a greater risk of hormone receptor–positive breast cancer if a patient is obese. Researchers from the University of Louisville have discovered a possible new link between obesity and a greater risk for developing breast cancer: adipose fatty acid binding protein.
Oncology Groups Issue Preliminary COVID-19 Triage Guidelines for Breast Cancer
April 16th 2020

Oncology Groups Issue Preliminary COVID-19 Triage Guidelines for Breast Cancer

Maggie L. Shaw
Several prominent oncology organizations, including the National Comprehensive Cancer Network and the Commission on Cancer, have joined forces to issue preliminary guidelines on how to treat patients with breast cancer during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.
Regular Exercise Confers a Significant Survival Benefit Among Patients With Breast Cancer
April 10th 2020

Regular Exercise Confers a Significant Survival Benefit Among Patients With Breast Cancer

Maggie L. Shaw
Meeting HHS’ minimum requirements for daily and weekly exercise reduced breast cancer recurrence and mortality among patients with high-risk breast cancer undergoing chemotherapy. This benefit was even seen in patients who had not met these requirements before their diagnosis.
Study Results Show Pembrolizumab Plus Chemotherapy May Be Effective in Patients With TNBC
April 9th 2020

Study Results Show Pembrolizumab Plus Chemotherapy May Be Effective in Patients With TNBC

Maggie L. Shaw
The standard therapy for triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) remains chemotherapy, despite a dismal prognosis due to lack of estrogen and progesterone hormone receptors, as well as HER2 receptors. Targeted therapies for this difficult-to-treat, often aggressive, subtype of breast cancer remain elusive.
White Blood Cell Profile Linked to Greater Breast Cancer Risk
April 4th 2020

White Blood Cell Profile Linked to Greater Breast Cancer Risk

Maggie L. Shaw
What can be done to further delineate the risk factors associated with breast cancer to increase prevention efforts across the board? The key may lie in the white blood cells that circulate in the blood, particularly leukocytes and monocytes.
Genetic Testing May Benefit Older Women With Breast Cancer
April 2nd 2020

Genetic Testing May Benefit Older Women With Breast Cancer

Maggie L. Shaw
The 2 main criteria that warrant genetic testing for breast cancer in women are age and having a family history of cancer. Postmenopausal women without any hereditary risk factors, however, often do not undergo genetic testing for the disease.
AB MRI Shown to Improve Cancer Detection Rate in Women With Dense Breast Tissue
March 26th 2020

AB MRI Shown to Improve Cancer Detection Rate in Women With Dense Breast Tissue

Maggie L. Shaw
Not all women with dense breast tissue have a high risk of breast cancer, but they all have an increased risk compared with women who have average tissue density. Can this patient population benefit from screening with abbreviated breast magnetic resonance imaging (AB MRI) over digital breast tomosynthesis?
What Is the Relationship Between Hormone-Modulating Therapies and Incidence of Neurodegenerative Diseases?
March 24th 2020

What Is the Relationship Between Hormone-Modulating Therapies and Incidence of Neurodegenerative Diseases?

Gianna Melillo
Two hormone-modulating breast cancer therapies (HMTs), tamoxifen and steroidal aromatase inhibitors, were associated with a decrease in the number of women who received a diagnosis of a neurodegenerative disease, according to a study published in JAMA Network Open. Specifically, the 2 HMTs were associated with significant decreases in diagnoses of Alzheimer disease and dementia.
Does Treatment Begin and End Sooner With Neoadjuvant or Adjuvant Chemotherapy?
March 13th 2020

Does Treatment Begin and End Sooner With Neoadjuvant or Adjuvant Chemotherapy?

Maggie L. Shaw
Patients who undergo neoadjuvant chemotherapy tend to be younger, with larger tumors and greater nodal involvement. But differences in their 30- and 90-day mortality rates compared with those of patients treated adjuvantly are clinically insignificant.
Did Medicaid Expansion Impact Cancer Diagnosis Rates?
March 12th 2020

Did Medicaid Expansion Impact Cancer Diagnosis Rates?

Rachel Lutz
Investigators tracked time to treatment for 3 types of cancer in states that expanded Medicaid coverage on January 1, 2014, comparing rates before and after the expansion. Patients with new diagnoses of invasive breast, colon, or lung cancers aged 40 to 64 years were included in the analysis.
Does Method of Communication Influence a Woman's Understanding of Familial Breast Cancer Risk?
March 5th 2020

Does Method of Communication Influence a Woman's Understanding of Familial Breast Cancer Risk?

Maggie L. Shaw
Thirty-seven percent of women prefer to receive their lifetime risk of breast cancer through numbers and words, while 73% prefer a combination of lifetime and 10-year age-related risk.
PAPER OF THE WEEK: Mammogram Practices Don't Match the Evidence
March 1st 2020

PAPER OF THE WEEK: Mammogram Practices Don't Match the Evidence

Mary Caffrey
Of the women in the 2017 study over age 75, 63% had a mammogram.
Mammography Screening Improves Outcomes Among African American and White American Patients With TNBC
February 29th 2020

Mammography Screening Improves Outcomes Among African American and White American Patients With TNBC

Rachel Lutz
Screening mammography is important for reducing race- and ethnicity-associated triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) disparities among African American and white American patients. At present, there is a 40% higher mortality rate among African American women compared with white American women.
Mammography in Women Older Than 75 Does Not Confer an Additional Survival Benefit
February 25th 2020

Mammography in Women Older Than 75 Does Not Confer an Additional Survival Benefit

Maggie L. Shaw
Recommendations abound for when women at average risk for breast cancer should begin yearly mammography screening, ranging from age 40 to 50. Questions remain, however, on the optimal age at which to stop. However, with over 50% of women older than age 75 still undergoing mammography, is there a truly safe age at which to stop what has been shown to be a life-saving practice if it does not decrease their mortality from breast cancer?
Longer Time to First Treatment Beneficial for Breast Cancer
February 22nd 2020

Longer Time to First Treatment Beneficial for Breast Cancer

Rachel Lutz
When time to first treatment ranged from 31 to 90 days for patients with breast cancer, doctors had more time for extensive diagnostic workups without compromising survival rates.
Is Targeted Treatment in the Future for Triple-Negative Breast Cancer?
February 15th 2020

Is Targeted Treatment in the Future for Triple-Negative Breast Cancer?

Maggie L. Shaw
The 5-year survival rate for triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is about 77%. The recurrence rate is highest in the first 3 years after treatment, but falls off at the 5-year mark—although the survival rate at this time point tends to be lower. Because TNBC cells lack the hormone receptors for estrogen and progesterone and do not overexpress the human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 gene, treatment often involves chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery. Targeted treatments are not used with TNBC.
CMS Agrees to Cover NGS for Medicare Patients With Breast, Ovarian, Other Cancers
January 28th 2020

CMS Agrees to Cover NGS for Medicare Patients With Breast, Ovarian, Other Cancers

Allison Inserro Mary Caffrey
CMS said it is expanding coverage of next generation sequencing (NGS) for use as a diagnostic for patients with germline breast and ovarian cancer, paving the way for Medicare beneficiaries to receive more personalized medicine. However, an advocate said the wording of CMS' decision could actually limit testing access for some women with breast or ovarian cancer.
Dr Banu Arun on Technologies to Expand Access to Genetic Counseling
December 15th 2019

Dr Banu Arun on Technologies to Expand Access to Genetic Counseling

There are new technologies that allow for genetic counseling services through which the provider does not even need to get that involved in the process, said Banu Arun, MD, medical oncologist, Department of Breast Medical Oncology, Division of Cancer Medicine, MD Anderson Cancer Center.
Dr Erica Mayer on Improving Patient Adherence to Hormonal Therapies
December 14th 2019

Dr Erica Mayer on Improving Patient Adherence to Hormonal Therapies

Listening to patient concerns and issues and communicating with them can really help providers keep patients with breast cancer adherent to their hormonal therapies, said Erica Mayer, MD, MPH, assistant professor, medicine, Harvard Medical School.
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