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Co-Chairs |
David R. Gandara, MD
Professor of Medicine
Division of Hematology/Oncology
Associate Director for Clinical Research
Director, Thoracic Oncology Program
UC Davis Cancer Center
Sacramento, CA
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Rafael Rosell, MD, PhD
Chief, Medical Oncology Service
Scientific Director of Oncology Research
Catalan Institute of Oncology
Hospital Germans Trias I Pujol
Barcelona, Spain |
Other Expert Faculty
Daniel F. Hayes, MD
Professor, Department of Internal Medicine
Co-Director, Breast Care Center
Clinical Director, Breast Oncology Program
University of Michigan
Comprehensive Cancer Center
Ann Arbor, MI
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Soonmyung Paik, MD
Director, Division of Pathology
National Surgical Adjuvant Breast
and Bowel Project (NSABP)
Pittsburgh, PA
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Edith A. Perez, MD
Serene M. and Frances C. Durling Professor of Medicine
Division of Hematology/Oncology
Director, Clinical Investigations
Director, Breast Cancer Program
Chair, Breast Committee for the North Central Cancer Treatment Group (NCCTG)
Mayo Clinic
Jacksonville, FL
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Lajos Pusztai, MD, DPhil, FACP
Associate Professor of Medicine
Department of Breast Medical Oncology
The University of Texas
M. D. Anderson Cancer Center
Houston, TX
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| Educational Statement of Need |
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As we treat and cure more cancer our understanding of the initiation and growth of malignancy, as well as its response to treatment also increases. This enhanced understanding of the biology of cancer has led to the identification of novel drug targets and new ways of treating malignancy with established drugs. Genetic, genomic and proteomic approaches have identified biomarkers that may aid in patient selection; novel formulation and delivery options have led to improved treatment options. Over the past two decades the taxanes have played a major role in the treatment options of patients with breast and other cancers; however, there are serious toxicities associated with taxane treatment and not all patients respond. As a result, novel strategies for patient selection as well as new formulations of taxanes have been explored that may both improve anti-tumor activity and reduce toxicity. However, these improvements in patient care must be appropriately integrated into widespread clinical practice. The purpose of this educational symposium is to provide participants with state-of-the-art therapeutic strategies for use of taxanes in patients with solid malignancies. |
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During the past two decades the taxanes have been utilized in the treatment of many types of cancer. Although they have demonstrated efficacy, significant toxicities associated with taxane treatment remain. As a result, new formulations of taxanes have been developed that may both improve antitumor activity and reduce toxicity.
Because cancers are clinically heterogeneous, and it is generally accepted that the different clinical courses of patients with histologically similar tumors are due to molecular differences among cancers, detailed molecular analysis of the cancer is believed to provide prognostic information. Recent advances in molecular analytical techniques have led to rapid expansion of novel diagnostics designed to personalize cancer care. Recently, biomedical research has identified gene expression profiles which can be used to subdivide cancer patients into subpopulations with different response characteristics to taxanes and other chemotherapeutic agents. Much work has gone into identifying which of these subpopulations will respond better to taxane therapy. Additionally, the field of pharmacogenomics has made rapid advances in understanding the relationship between patient genotype and response to chemotherapy and this has begun to provide information that is useful for optimizing patient treatment.
Our increased understanding of the complexity of cancer, and the pathways that are involved, supports the emerging concept of “personalized therapy” including combinations of therapeutic agents in the effective treatment of cancer patients. Indeed, the development of biomarkers to identify the pathways that play significant roles in the pathology of individual cancers is an area of substantial effort. This symposium will discuss the use of taxanes and their combination with other anti-cancer agents in the development of novel treatment strategies for solid malignancies, and its future directions.
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This educational activity is designed to meet the educational needs of oncologists and hematologists who have an interest in the clinical use of taxanes in the treatment of their patients with solid malignancies. There are no prerequisites or relevant system barriers to this activity.
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At the conclusion of this symposium participants will be able to:
- Describe the benefits of personalizing therapy of breast and lung cancers
- Explain the role of SPARC as a means of enhancing uptake of certain taxanes
- Explain how the expression of HER2 can help predict responses to taxanes
- Understand how genetic signatures can be used as prognostic indicators for breast cancer
- Describe how molecular biomarkers can be used as predictors of taxane sensitivity and resistance to help determine which breast cancers will derive the most benefit from adjuvant chemotherapy with taxanes
- Analyze how gene expression profiling-based prediction of complete response relates to neoadjuvant taxane/FAC chemotherapy in breast cancer
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The Oncology Learning Center is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education to provide continuing medical education for physicians.
The Oncology Learning Center designates this educational activity for a maximum of 2 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
This presentation was selected by the American Society of Clinical Oncology® as an independent educational activity held adjunct
to the ASCO Annual Meeting. This presentation is not sponsored or endorsed by ASCO.
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