Updates in the Evaluation and Management of Breast Cancer

Abstract

Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer worldwide. More than 200,000 new cases of invasive breast cancer are diagnosed annually in the United States; approximately 40,000 patients die of the disease. The etiology of most breast cancer cases is unknown, although multiple factors predisposing to the disease have been identified. Apart from increasing age and female sex, these other factors account for only a minority of breast cancer diagnoses. This article provides an overview of the management of noninvasive and invasive breast cancer, which is often complex and varies according to patient factors, disease stage, and breast cancer subtype. Although much progress has been made, continued research endeavors are ongoing; enrollment of eligible patients in prospective clinical trials is an essential way to improve patient outcomes.

Final results from IMPROVE: a randomized, controlled, open-label, two-arm, cross-over phase IV study to determine patients’ preference for everolimus in combination with exemestane or capecitabine in combination with bevacizumab in advanced HR-positive, HER2-negative breast cancer

“…Current guidelines unequivocally indicate endocrine therapy as the preferred systemic treatment in the vast majority of patients with advanced HR-positive, HER2-negative BC [2][3][4]. However, this is in contrast to treatment reality; 43% of these patients are primarily subjected to first-line chemotherapy with > 80% receiving first-line chemotherapy when aged ≤50 years [19].…”

“…Current international guidelines recommend endocrine therapy as the first-line treatment of choice in the vast majority of these patients. Chemotherapy may be considered as a reasonable alternative in patients for whom endocrine treatment is inappropriate including individuals presenting with acute visceral crisis and/or hormone-resistant tumors [2][3][4]. Up to now, there are limited data from clinical trials having directly compared chemotherapy and endocrinebased treatment in patients with MBC.…”

Endogenous interaction profiling identifies DDX5 as an oncogenic coactivator of transcription factor Fra-1

“…Endocrine treatment is a pivotal treatment for women with ER-positive tumors. The majority of endocrine therapies are to inhibit breast tumor growth through depriving the cell of estrogen or blocking its receptor [34]. Anti-estrogens (such as Tamoxifen and Fulvestrant) and aromatase inhibitors (AIs) are currently used to treat ER-positive breast cancer.…”

Interfering Role of ERα on Adiponectin Action in Breast Cancer

“…Breast carcinoma is a complex and heterogeneous disease, whose development and progression depends on various genetic predispositions and several established factors (age, sex, family history, gene mutations, reproductive factors). It is now clear that modifiable factors, such as alcohol drinking, smoking, physical inactivity and overweight, also have an important role in breast tumorigenesis (13,(18)(19)(20)(21)(22). Here, we will focus on the molecular mechanisms by which obesity impact breast cancer pathogenesis.…”