STATEMENT OF NEED/TARGET AUDIENCE

Breast cancer is one of the most rapidly evolving fields in medical oncology. Published results from a plethora of ongoing clinical trials lead to the continuous emergence of new therapeutic agents and changes in the indications for existing treatments. In order to offer optimal patient care — including the option of clinical trial participation — the practicing clinician must be well informed of these advances. To bridge the gap between research and patient care, Breast Cancer Update uses one-on-one discussions with leading oncology investigators. By providing access to the latest research developments and expert perspectives, this CME program assists medical oncologists, hematologists and hematology-oncology fellows with the formulation of up-to-date clinical management strategies.

GLOBAL LEARNING OBJECTIVES

• Critically evaluate the clinical implications of emerging clinical trial data in breast cancer treatment, and incorporate these findings into management strategies in the neoadjuvant, adjuvant and metastatic settings.
• Counsel appropriately selected patients about the availability of ongoing clinical trials.
• Describe the key clinical and pathologic risk factors that influence clinician selection of the medical and surgical management of early breast cancer.
• Identify existing data and emerging research focusing on the optimal duration and sequence of adjuvant endocrine therapy in the management of the postmenopausal patient with ER-positive breast cancer, and apply this evidence to routine patient care decisions.
• Describe and implement an algorithm for HER2 testing and selection of evidence-based treatment strategies for early and advanced HER2-positive breast cancer.
• Evaluate the practical application of currently available tissue-based genomic assays to assist with therapeutic decision-making in the management of early breast cancer and, when applicable, use these in the selection of individualized treatment regimens.
• Evaluate the emerging data on various adjuvant chemotherapy approaches, including dose-dense or alternative novel scheduling and the contributory roles of taxanes and anthracyclines, and explain the absolute risks and benefits of these regimens to patients.
• Evaluate the emerging data for novel biologic and molecular-targeted therapies with clinical activity in breast cancer, and determine how these should be incorporated into the treatment algorithm for appropriate patients with metastatic disease.
• Explore the challenging practice of integrating psychosocial support, optimal patient-physician communication strategies and evidence-based clinical decision-making into comprehensive oncology care.

PURPOSE OF THIS ISSUE OF BREAST CANCER UPDATE

The purpose of Issue 1 of Breast Cancer Update is to support these global objectives by offering the perspectives of Drs Burris, Carey, Geyer, Mackey, Norton, Winer and Wolff on the integration of emerging clinical research data into the management of breast cancer.

ACCREDITATION STATEMENT

The purpose of Issue 1 of Breast Cancer Update is to support these global objectives by offering the perspectives of Drs Burris, Carey, Geyer, Mackey, Norton, Winer and Wolff on the integration of emerging clinical research data into the management of breast cancer.

CREDIT DESIGNATION STATEMENT

Research To Practice designates this educational activity for a maximum of 4.25 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. Physicians should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

HOW TO USE THIS CME ACTIVITY

This CME activity contains both audio and print components. To receive credit, the participant should listen to the CDs, review the Internet content and complete the Post-test and Evaluation Form located at www.BreastCancerUpdate.com/CME. www.BreastCancerUpdate.com contains edited comments, clinical trial schemas, graphics and references that supplement the audio program, as well as links to relevant full-text articles, abstracts, trial information and other web resources.

CONTENT VALIDATION AND DISCLOSURES

Research To Practice is committed to providing its participants with high-quality, unbiased and state-of-the-art education. We assess potential conflicts of interest with faculty, planners and managers of CME activities. Real or apparent conflicts of interest are identified and resolved by a peer review content validation process. The content of each activity is reviewed by both a member of the scientific staff and an external, independent reviewer for fair balance, scientific objectivity of studies referenced and patient care recommendations.

The scientific staff and consultants for Research To Practice are involved in the development and review of content for educational activities and report the following real or apparent conflicts of interest, either current or within the past 12 months, for themselves (or their spouses/partners) that have been resolved through a peer review process:

Richard Kaderman, PhD, Neil Love, MD, Douglas Paley, Margaret Peng, Lilliam Sklaver Poltorack, PharmD, Chris Thomson, MD, MS, Erin Wall and Kathryn Ault Ziel, PhD — No real or apparent conflicts of interest to report; Aviva Asnis-Alibozek, PA-C, MPAS — Salary: AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP; Shareholder of: AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP; Sally Bogert, RNC, WHCNP — Shareholder of: Amgen Inc and Genentech BioOncology. Research To Practice receives educational grants from Abraxis BioScience, Amgen Inc, AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP, Bayer Pharmaceuticals Corporation/Onyx Pharmaceuticals Inc, Biogen Idec, Genentech BioOncology/OSI Pharmaceuticals Inc, Genomic Health Inc, GlaxoSmithKline, GPC Biotech, ImClone Systems, Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation, Pfizer Inc, Roche Laboratories Inc and Sanofi-Aventis, who have no influence on the content development of our educational activities.

In addition, the following faculty (and their spouses/partners) have reported real or apparent conflicts of interest that have been resolved through a peer review process:

Dr Burris — Consulting Fees: Celgene Corporation, Keryx Biopharmaceuticals Inc, Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation; Fees for Non-CME Services Received Directly from Commercial Interest or Their Agents: Sanofi-Aventis. Dr Carey — Contracted Research: Boehringer Ingelheim GmbH, Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, Genentech BioOncology, GlaxoSmithKline. Dr Geyer — No financial interests or affiliations to disclose. Dr Mackey — Consulting Fees: Genentech BioOncology, Sanofi-Aventis; Honorarium: Roche Laboratories Inc. Dr Norton — Consulting Fees: Roche Laboratories Inc. Dr Winer — No financial interests or affiliations to disclose. Dr Wolff — Contracted Research: Roche Laboratories Inc.

This educational activity contains discussion of published and/or investigational uses of agents that are not indicated by the Food and Drug Administration. Research To Practice does not recommend the use of any agent outside of the labeled indications. Please refer to the official prescribing information for each product for discussion of approved indications, contraindications and warnings. The opinions expressed are those of the presenters and are not to be construed as those of the publisher or grantors.