Neil Love, MD

The 2005 ASCO meeting was a turning point in the development of targeted biologic therapy for breast cancer. Results from several clinical trials documented the efficacy of monoclonal antibodies in various settings and instantly challenged the standard of care in the adjuvant and metastatic settings. While these advancements obviously bring with them important benefits for patients, they also raise many questions, controversies and uncertainties. This event is intended to shed light on many of these issues and provide clinicians with a greater understanding of how monoclonal antibody therapy fits into the current treatment algorithm for breast cancer.

For this meeting, we have assembled a superb faculty panel and will utilize an innovative and dynamic format. The discussion during the meeting will focus on a series of mini-debates and cover the past, present and future of monoclonal antibody therapy research and practice in breast cancer. After the keynote presentation by co-chairperson Debu Tripathy, we will have a series of “mini-debates.” To begin each debate, I will read a position statement outlining a specific management question and will ask the audience to agree or disagree with the statement using electronic keypad polling devices. A member of our research leader panel will then review the available clinical research data and ongoing trials that currently guide decision-making in this arena. Following these presentations, the panel will debate the topic and provide their opinions with the hope of developing a consensus for the controversies discussed.

Our oncology CME group is very excited about this event and believes the lively discussion and fascinating interchange that will emerge will truly provide relevant, practical and important perspectives on the role of biologic therapy in both the early and metastatic breast cancer settings. I hope you will join us.

Neil Love, MD
Editor, Breast Cancer Update Audio Series
Miami, Florida
NLove@ResearchToPractice.net