Selected highlights from the 27th San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium. San Antonio, TX, USA, 8-11 December 2004

The San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium is now considered the most important international breast cancer meeting worldwide. On 8-11th December 2004, approximately 6700 participants attended the meeting and shared the latest findings from breast cancer research. All the main fields of breast cancer research and treatment were covered. This report will focus on the most relevant advancements in the pharmacotherapy of breast cancer. The selected presentations have been grouped together in separate sections, including the fields of prevention, early disease and advanced disease. The most promising data from translational research have also been included, with particular regard to those who will most likely influence the management of breast cancer patients in the future.     

Selected highlights from the 27th San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium

The San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium is now considered the most important international breast cancer meeting worldwide. On 8 – 11th December 2004, ～ 6700 participants attended the meeting and shared the latest findings from breast cancer research. All the main fields of breast cancer research and treatment were covered. This report will focus on the most relevant advancements in the pharmacotherapy of breast cancer. The selected presentations have been grouped together in separate sections, including the fields of prevention, early disease and advanced disease. The most promising data from translational research have also been included, with particular regard to those who will most likely influence the management of breast cancer patients in the future.     

Selected Highlights from the 26th San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium

The San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium is one of the largest international meetings devoted solely to breast cancer research. Basic scientists, translational researchers, clinical investigators and physicians share state-of-the-art information on breast cancer covering almost all the aspects of breast cancer, including prevention, aetiology, diagnosis, molecular biology and treatment. The current report describes relevant therapeutic findings that were presented at the 26^th San Antonio Breast Cancer Conference, held in San Antonio, Texas, USA, in December 2003.     

Recent advances in the medical management of breast cancer: highlights from the 29th San Antonio Breast Cancer Conference San Antonio, TX, USA, 14-17 December 2007

The 29th edition of the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium was attended by a total of > 8000 basic scientists, translational researchers, clinical investigators and physicians gathering from approximately 80 countries worldwide. This is the largest meeting focusing on breast cancer, encompassing a wide array of topics from prevention, aetiology and diagnosis to molecular biology and treatment. From the main presentations at the meeting, it seems clear that combined efforts at prevention and treatment of this disease have translated into small, but significant, achievements. Much of the research in the area is focused on improving the therapeutic ratio of available treatments by better selection of patients.     

Breast cancer--22nd annual symposium. 8-11 December 1999, San Antonio, TX, USA

This symposium focused on trials conducted primarily on patients with metastatic breast cancer with the aim of defining the safest and most effective treatment regimens. The combination of paclitaxel and doxorubicin procured a survival advantage, though confirmation of this multicenter randomized data is awaited from other studies. In elucidating the most effective agents to use with trastuzumab (Herceptin; Genentech Inc), results with vinorelbine (Navelbine; Pierre Fabre SA) were most encouraging. Randomized studies of hormonal agents in the adjuvant setting have demonstrated an improved relapse-free survival with goserelin (Zoladex) and anastrozole (Arimidex; both AstraZeneca plc), compared to tamoxifen. Data were presented suggesting tamoxifen leads to a worse outcome when prescribed to pre-menopausal estrogen-receptor negative patients. The use of newer selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs) was discussed with particular reference to LY-353381 (Eli Lilly and Co) and fulvestrant (AstraZeneca plc), both of which appear to have impressive profiles of action when compared to tamoxifen.     

Recent Advances in Breast Cancer (the Twenty-fourth San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium,December, 2001)

Summary

This paper reviews the Twenty-fourth Annual San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium. The preliminary results of the ATAC study have shown that Arimidex is superior to tamoxifen in postmenopausal women with ER-positive early breast cancer in terms of DFS, adverse effects and prevention of contralateral breast cancer. However, longer follow up is required to assess the drug safety regarding bone mineral density and cognitive function. Letrozole seems to be superior to tamoxifen as a first-line therapy in ER-positive advanced breast cancer in postmenopausal women. Although the incidence of acute myeloid leukaemia is significantly increased (cumulative incidence at 5 years?=?1.1%) in breast cancer patients receiving cyclophosphamide and anthracyclines, the risk of this complication is easily outweighed by the benefits of chemotherapy. Adjuvant clodronate was found to be associated with a significant reduction in the incidence of bone metastases during the treatment period. A randomised trial comparing axillary dissection and axillary radiotherapy (RT) for early breast cancer reported no significant difference in survival at 15 years. However, axillary recurrence was significantly increased in the RT group. hTERT protein expression by IHC was found to correlate significantly with breast cancer-specific survival. There is no evidence to support the use of IHC of the sentinel node in routine clinical practice. LCIS is currently considered as a non-obligate precursor to breast cancer rather than just a risk factor.     

Hormone-receptor positive breast cancer: highlights from the 39TH San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium

The San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium is considered one of the most influential international meetings focusing on breast cancer management, covering several areas of study from basic research to clinical practice topics. a number of oral presentations addressing hormone receptor-positive breast cancer brought new data about critical subjects like the optimal duration of adjuvant endocrine therapy, new prognostic markers and their potential role in guiding adjuvant treatment choices, new insights into genomic alterations acquired during the metastatic process, and pharmacologic strategies to overcome resistance to endocrine therapy. This article aims at summarizing some of the presentations that, in our opinion, are expected to have an impact on clinical practice and research programs in this patient population.     

Recent advances in breast cancer (the Twenty-fourth San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium, December, 2001)

This paper reviews the Twenty-fourth Annual San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium. The preliminary results of the ATAC study have shown that Arimidex is superior to tamoxifen in postmenopausal women with ER-positive early breast cancer in terms of DFS, adverse effects and prevention of contralateral breast cancer. However, longer follow up is required to assess the drug safety regarding bone mineral density and cognitive function. Letrozole seems to be superior to tamoxifen as a first-line therapy in ER-positive advanced breast cancer in postmenopausal women. Although the incidence of acute myeloid leukaemia is significantly increased (cumulative incidence at 5 years = 1.1%) in breast cancer patients receiving cyclophosphamide and anthracyclines, the risk of this complication is easily outweighed by the benefits of chemotherapy. Adjuvant clodronate was found to be associated with a significant reduction in the incidence of bone metastases during the treatment period. A randomised trial comparing axillary dissection and axillary radiotherapy (RT) for early breast cancer reported no significant difference in survival at 15 years. However, axillary recurrence was significantly increased in the RT group. hTERT protein expression by IHC was found to correlate significantly with breast cancer-specific survival. There is no evidence to support the use of IHC of the sentinel node in routine clinical practice. LCIS is currently considered as a non-obligate precursor to breast cancer rather than just a risk factor.     

Recent advances in breast cancer: the 25th Annual San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium

Some of the important developments in breast cancer treatment and biology are highlighted from presentations made at the 25th San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium 2002 (San Antonio, Texas, 11-14 December 2002). These include an updated analysis of the ATAC trial, new data demonstrating the superiority of dose-dense adjuvant chemotherapy over conventional scheduling, and recent developments in the field of proteomics.     

Recent advances in the medical management of breast cancer: highlights from the 29th San Antonio Breast Cancer Conference

The 29th edition of the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium was attended by a total of > 8000 basic scientists, translational researchers, clinical investigators and physicians gathering from ~ 80 countries worldwide. This is the largest meeting focusing on breast cancer, encompassing a wide array of topics from prevention, aetiology and diagnosis to molecular biology and treatment. From the main presentations at the meeting, it seems clear that combined efforts at prevention and treatment of this disease have translated into small, but significant, achievements. Much of the research in the area is focused on improving the therapeutic ratio of available treatments by better selection of patients.     

Recent advances in breast cancer: The 25th Annual San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium

Some of the important developments in breast cancer treatment and biology are highlighted from presentations made at the 25th San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium 2002 (San Antonio, Texas, 11-14 December 2002). These include an updated analysis of the ATAC trial, new data demonstrating the superiority of dose-dense adjuvant chemotherapy over conventional scheduling, and recent developments in the field of proteomics.     

Selected highlights from the 54th annual scientific session of the American College of Cardiology, Orlando, USA, 6-9 March 2005

The recent scientific session of the American College of Cardiology, held in Orlando, Florida, US, was one of the largest gatherings in the field of cardiovascular medicine worldwide. This year's session provided a wealth of new information in many areas of cardiovascular medicine and the results of several clinically relevant new trials and current challenges facing cardiology were presented. Provided here are selected highlights that have important implications for clinical practice.