In this enlightening episode of The Patient From Hell podcast, Dr. Doug Blayney and host Samira Daswani dive deep into the key insights from the 2024 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium (SABCS). They explore four critical areas of breast cancer care: CDK4/6 inhibitors, antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs), de-escalation strategies for ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), and the emerging role of artificial intelligence in cancer diagnostics. Throughout the conversation, a central theme emerges: the increasing ability to personalize cancer treatment, considering individual patient characteristics, biological markers, treatment options, and personal goals for quality and quantity of life.
Key Highlights:
- Biomarkers are becoming increasingly sophisticated, allowing for more precise and personalized treatment approaches across different breast cancer subtypes.
- Patient choice and individual considerations are paramount, with treatment decisions now focusing on balancing potential survival benefits against quality of life impacts.
- Emerging technologies like antibody-drug conjugates and artificial intelligence are revolutionizing breast cancer care by offering more nuanced, targeted diagnostic and treatment options.
About our guest:
Dr. Doug Blayney is an oncology physician who specializes in breast cancer and the Chief Medical Officer of Manta Cares. His research focuses on quality improvement in cancer care systems, new drug development, and patient experience improvement. At the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), he was founding Editor-in-Chief of its flagship practice journal, and as President, started the ASCO Quality Symposium and began planning for ASCO’s CancerLinq. He was a founding member of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) Growth Factor Guideline panel, and is a past member of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Oncology Drugs Advisory Committee and the NCCN Board of Directors.
Key Moments:
At 38 minutes: "There's a company now that has a gene expression panel that may predict, and it looks like it does predict, whether radiation treatment after standard treatment for DCIS is beneficial. So if this predicted biomarker of benefit for radiation pans out, and I think it probably will, that means that we can deescalate or personalize whether radiation treatment and its side effects are likely to be beneficial to that patient."
At 45 minutes: "Quality of life, can that be answered by a nine question questionnaire? Well, maybe. If you can't get out of bed, your quality of life is because something hurts or if your arm doesn't work because they're so swollen, that's one extreme... What about 15 years playing that duet? What about three? It's those kind of subtleties that we need to take into account."
At 49 minutes:"AI can interpret mammograms. The images from a mammogram 20 years ago, there were four, top, bottom, side, side, and maybe another oblique. And now there's 60 images from a mammogram. So that means that a radiologist, a human radiologist, whether it's next door or around the world, somebody needs to look at those. AI can help."
Disclaimer: All content and information provided in connection with Manta Cares is solely intended for informational and educational purposes only. This content and information is not intended to be a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
YouTube Tags: SABCS, San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium, Personalized Cancer Treatment, breast cancer treatments, ADC, antibody drug conjugate, biomarkers, breast cancer biomarkers, Cancer AI, Breast cancer AI, quality of life