Adjuvant and Neoadjuvant Therapies for Breast Cancer, Including SABCS Updates

Historically, neoadjuvant therapy was for patients with locally advanced breast cancer for whom even mastectomy may not have been an option.  Now it is frequently administered to patients with operable breast cancers, in an effort to avoid mastectomy or improve cosmetic outcomes following surgery or to limit the extent of axillary lymph node removal. Additionally, the response to neoadjuvant therapy can influence selection of postoperative therapy. Discussions between the surgical oncologist and medical oncologist are, therefore, important in determining the goals and potential benefits of neoadjuvant therapy for a given patient. By staying up-to-date on new approaches and options for neoadjuvant/adjuvant systemic therapy, clinicians should be able to provide appropriate care using a shared decision-making process with the patient, taking into account patient and disease characteristics, including risk of recurrence, and weighing the potential benefits and risks of each option. In addition, it is important for clinicians to be aware of new supportive care interventions available to improve the quality of life of patients.

Target Audience

This educational program is designed to meet the educational needs of physicians, nurse practitioners, nurses, physician assistants, pharmacists, and other health care professionals who manage patients with breast cancer.

Learning Objectives

Following this activity, participants should be able to:

  • Compare and contrast data on the clinical safety and efficacy of neoadjuvant regimens in early stage breast cancer.
  • Recognize key patient and clinical factors that influence selection of systemic adjuvant therapy.
  • Discuss clinical data of new and emerging supportive care interventions to enhance shared decision-making and improve quality of life of patients undergoing neoadjuvant/adjuvant chemotherapy. 
Additional information
Supporters: 

This activity is supported by educational grants from:

  • AstraZeneca
  • Biotheranostics, Inc.
  • Daiichi Sankyo
  • Gilead Sciences
  • Novartis
  • Pfizer
  • Puma Biotechnology

This activity is supported by an independent medical education grant from Bristol Myers Squibb.

This activity is supported by an independent educational grant from Merck & Co., Inc.

Course summary
Available credit: 
  • 1.00 AAPA Category 1 CME credit
  • 1.00 ACPE contact hours
  • 1.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™
  • 1.00 ANCC contact hours
  • 1.00 Participation
Course opens: 
03/15/2021
Course expires: 
03/15/2022
Cost:
$0.00

Ingrid A. Mayer, MD, MSCI
Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center

Erica M. Stringer-Reasor, MD
O'Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center at UAB

 

NCCN Medical Education Disclosure Policy

It is the policy of NCCN that every 12 months, all faculty, moderators, activity planners and all internal planning staff participating in NCCN continuing education activities are expected to disclose any financial relationships with a commercial interest as defined by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) Standards for Commercial Support. In addition, all faculty presentations have been reviewed for adherence to the ACCME’s Standards for Commercial Support (the provider develops activities/educational interventions independent of commercial interests [SCS 1, 2 and 6] by experts on the topics).

Per the ACCME Standards for Commercial Support, individuals who do not disclose relevant financial relationships will be disqualified from involvement in the CE activity as a content developer, planner, or presenter. A complete list of individuals’ relationships with external entities is available upon request.

Definitions  

NCCN continuing education considers financial relationships to create a “conflict of interest” when an individual has both a financial relationship with a commercial interest and the opportunity to affect CE content about the products or services of a commercial interest with which he/she and/or a spouse or partner has a financial relationship.

NCCN continuing education considers “relevant financial relationships” as financial relationships in any amount occurring within the past 12 months that create a conflict of interest. NCCN does not set a minimal dollar amount for relationships to be significant. Inherent in any amount is the incentive to maintain or increase the value of the relationship. 

Faculty Disclaimers  

All faculty for this continuing education activity are competent in the subject matter and qualified by experience, training, and/or preparation for the tasks and methods of delivery.

Faculty presentations may include discussion of off-label use. Faculty will disclose that the use in question is not currently approved by the FDA per the product labeling.

Faculty Disclosures

The faculty listed below discloses the following relevant financial relationships: 

Ingrid A. Mayer, MD, MSCI 
AbbVie Inc.: Consulting Fee 
AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP: Consulting Fee; Honoraria 
Genentech, Inc.: Grant/Research Support; Consulting Fee; Honoraria 
GlaxoSmithKline: Consulting Fee 
Immunomedics, Inc.: Consulting Fee 
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation: Grant/Research Support; Consulting Fee; Honoraria Lilly: Consulting Fee 
MacroGenics, Inc: Consulting Fee 
Pfizer Inc.: Grant/Research Support 
Puma Biotechnology: Consulting Fee 
Seattle Genetics, Inc.: Consulting Fee 

Erica M. Stringer-Reasor, MD  
Curio Science: Product/Speakers Bureau 
Immunomedics, Inc.: Scientific Advisor 
Lilly: Scientific Advisor 
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation: Scientific Advisor 
Susan G. Komen: Grant/Research Support 
The V Foundation: Grant/Research Support 

NCCN Staff Disclosures

The NCCN Activity Planning staff listed below discloses no relevant financial relationships:

Mike Abrams; Melissa Esplen; Mark A. Geisler; Kristina M. Gregory, RN, MSN, OCN; Kristin Kline Hasson; Rose Joyce; Karen Kanefield; Lisa Perfidio, MS; Shannon Ryan, CMP; Kathy Ann Smith, CHCP; Sarah Weinstein

The NCCN Clinical staff listed below discloses no relevant financial relationships:

Jennifer L. Burns, BS; Rashmi Kumar, PhD

In support of improving patient care, National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.

Physicians
NCCN designates this enduring activity for a maximum of 1.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Nurses
NCCN designates this educational activity for a maximum of 1.0 contact hour.

Pharmacists
NCCN designates this knowledge-based continuing education activity for 1.0 contact hour (0.10 CEUs) of continuing education credit. UAN: JA4008196-0000-21-029-H01-P

Physician Assistants 
NCCN has been authorized by the American Academy of PAs (AAPA) to award AAPA Category 1 CME credit for activities planned in accordance with AAPA CME Criteria. This activity is designated for 1.0 AAPA Category 1 CME credit. Approval is valid until March 15, 2022. PAs should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation.

Available Credit

  • 1.00 AAPA Category 1 CME credit
  • 1.00 ACPE contact hours
  • 1.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™
  • 1.00 ANCC contact hours
  • 1.00 Participation

Price

Cost:
$0.00
Please login or register to take this course.

Required Hardware/software

To complete this activity, users will need:

  • A device with an Internet connection
  • An HTML5 capable browser for video or audio playback
  • Adobe Reader or other PDF reader software for certificate viewing/printing