Interactive Case Study: Treatment Options for Metastatic Breast Cancer Previously Treated With Anthracyclines, Taxanes, and Capecitabine

CASE AUTHOR

Linda Vahdat, MD
Associate Professor of Clinical
  Medicine
Weill Medical College of
  Cornell University
Associate Attending
  Physician
NewYork-Presbyterian
  Hospital
New York, NY

December 2007
1 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit^™

Release date: December 7, 2007
Expiration date: December 19, 2008

Instructions for Participation

Read the following information before beginning the educational activity.
Study the educational activity.
Complete the CME test.
Answer the evaluation questions.
After successful completion of the CME test and evaluation, you will receive your certificate of credit online.

The CME test and evaluation must be completed by December 19, 2008, in order for you to receive your certificate of credit.
You will be permitted to take the online test only once.

Overview and Purpose

The development of chemotherapy resistance is a substantial clinical problem in the management of metastatic breast cancer (MBC), and the optimization of treatment options for breast neoplasias that have become refractory to previous lines of therapy is of primary concern for oncologists treating these patients. Although many metastatic tumors respond to cytotoxic agents such as anthracyclines and taxanes, response to treatment invariably diminishes and resistance develops, often across multiple classes of anticancer drugs. New agents with novel mechanisms of action to slow tumor cell proliferation using similar strategies as existing drugs, including new microtubule-targeting agents such as the epothilones, have become important supplements to the arsenal of therapeutics needed to improve outcomes in patients with refractory, metastatic disease. The further optimization of regimens using these emerging classes of therapeutics will improve outcomes and quality of life for patients who want palliation of disease symptoms and delayed disease progression, with minimal adverse events.

The purpose of this activity is to update physicians on the therapy options available for the treatment of hormone receptor–positive MBC that has become resistant to existing therapeutics, including anthracyclines, taxanes, and capecitabine.

Target Audience

This educational activity is intended for medical oncologists involved in the care of patients with breast cancer. No specific skills or knowledge other than a basic training in oncology are required for successful participation in this activity.

Learning Objectives

Upon completion of this educational activity, you should be able to:

Evaluate endocrine therapy management options for the treatment of hormone receptor–positive MBC
Assess strategies for the optimization of myelosuppressive chemotherapeutic regimens to maintain response while minimizing treatment-related adverse events
Discuss options and strategies for the continued treatment of MBC that has become refractory to anthracyclines, taxanes, and capecitabine

Accreditation and Credit Designation

Physicians’ Education Resource is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

Physicians’ Education Resource designates this educational activity for a maximum of 1 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™. Physicians should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Disclosure Policy

It is the policy of Physicians’ Education Resource to ensure balance, independence, objectivity, and scientific rigor in all of its educational activities. As an organization accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), Physicians’ Education Resource requires everyone who is in a position to control the content of an educational activity to disclose all relevant financial relationships with any commercial interest. The ACCME defines “relevant financial relationships” as financial relationships in any amount occurring within the past 12 months that create a conflict of interest. Physicians’ Education Resource has implemented a mechanism to identify and resolve all conflicts of interest prior to the activity.

Linda Vahdat, MD
No relevant relationships to disclose

PER Editorial Staff
No relevant relationships to disclose

This CME activity might include discussion of investigational and/or unlabeled uses of drugs. If the activity includes discussion of investigational and/or unlabeled uses of a drug, specific information is located on the title page. Please refer to the full prescribing information for each drug discussed in this newsletter for FDA-approved dosing, indications, and warnings.

Commercial Support

An educational grant for this activity was provided by Bristol-Myers Squibb.

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Illustrator: Erin Moore

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Editor, Interactive Case Study: Treatment Options for Metastatic Breast Cancer Previously Treated With Anthracyclines, Taxanes, and Capecitabine
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