Key Takeaways From SABCS 2023
Updated on November 14, 2024
The 2023 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium, now in its 46th year, started on Dec. 5 and comprised five packed days of research presentations, posters, networking, and educational events. More than 10,000 researchers, healthcare professionals, and advocates have gathered this year to exchange ideas about the latest developments in breast cancer.
Here are some of the most important takeaways.
Dr. Matt Goetz, noted oncology researcher from the Mayo Clinic, breaks down the research presented at the 2023 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium that has the most immediate implications for people diagnosed with breast cancer.
Lymph node radiation no longer needed for some
A study found that when chemotherapy before surgery converts node-positive, early-stage breast cancer to node-negative breast cancer, lymph node radiation isn't needed. The results will likely change practice.
Read more about the node radiation study.
Listen to Dr. Marisa Weiss explain the study on our podcast:
What You Need to Know About Lymph Node Radiation After Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy
Dec 6, 2023New targeted therapy seems promising
Inavolisib, an experimental PI3K inhibitor, seems to be more effective than Piqray while causing fewer side effects when treating advanced-stage, hormone receptor-positive, HER2-negative breast cancer that has stopped responding to hormonal therapy.
Read about the new study on inavolisib.
Assisted reproduction seems safe for women with hormone receptor-positive breast cancer
The most recent analysis of information from the POSITIVE trial found that women who used fertility preservation or assisted reproduction technologies didn't have a higher risk of recurrence. Dr. Hatem Azim discusses his new analysis on The Breastcancer.org Podcast:
ART Doesn’t Increase Hormone Receptor-Positive Breast Cancer Recurrence Risk
Dec 7, 2023Pregnancy after breast cancer safe for women with BRCA mutation
About 20% of women with a BRCA mutation became pregnant after breast cancer treatment, and there were no negative effects on the babies or the women's recurrence risk.
Read more about the study on pregnancy outcomes for BRCA carriers.
The evolving landscape of treatment after CDK4/6 inhibitors
Listen to The Breastcancer.org Podcast episode featuring Dr. Stephanie Graff summarizing the Day 1 session she moderated on treatment after CDK4/6 inhibitors.
Exercise offers important benefits for people with metastatic breast cancer
A structured exercise program helped ease fatigue and pain in people being treated for metastatic breast cancer. Lead researcher Dr. Anne May explains the results to us and tells us why she thinks exercise should be part of every cancer treatment plan.
The Benefits of Exercise for People Living With Metastatic Disease
Dec 8, 2023Tukysa plus Kadcyla better than Kadcyla alone for metastatic breast cancer
Combining Tukysa with Kadcyla resulted in better outcomes than Kadcyla alone, according to a new study. People diagnosed with locally advanced or metastatic HER2-positive breast cancer that had been treated before, had improved progression-free survival (how long a person lives without the cancer growing) after receiving the two targeted therapies.
Read more about the Tukysa study.
Usefulness of Oncotype DX Breast DCIS Score test to predict need for radiation confirmed
A prospective study looked at the accuracy of the Oncotype DX Breast DCIS Score test in guiding radiation treatment decisions after lumpectomy. The people in the study with low scores who skipped radiation had low rates of recurrence (the cancer coming back) after five years. Dr. Seema Khan, who presented the research, talks to us about the study and what it means.
Genomic Test Helps Decide Which DCIS Needs Radiation
Dec 8, 2023What's it like to be part of a metastatic breast cancer clinical trial?
Dr. Kelly Shanahan, trained as an OB/GYN, has been living with metastatic breast cancer for 10 years. In 2021, she joined a clinical trial. She shared with us how she went about it, what the experience has been like, and why clinical trials are so important.
Being in a Metastatic Breast Cancer Clinical Trial
Dec 7, 2023Some younger post-menopausal women may be able to skip radiation after lumpectomy
A new study found that some post-menopausal women age 50 to 59 who are diagnosed with stage I, hormone receptor-positive, HER2-negative breast cancer and who take hormonal therapy may be able to skip radiation after lumpectomy.
Read more about the IDEA study.
Study follow-up finds that Kadcyla still improves survival
More than eight years of follow-up from the KATHERINE trial showed that Kadcyla continues to improve both overall and progression-free survival in people with early-stage, HER2-positive breast cancer.
Read more about the Kadcyla follow-up results.
Paxman Scalp Cooling updates financial help program
Listen to Paxman CEO Richard Paxman explain the company's updated patient assistance program on The Breastcancer.org Podcast:
Paxman Scalp Cooling Patient Assistance Programs
Dec 6, 2023Updated results from the MONARCH 3 study on Verzenio
Latest results from the MONARCH 3 study show that Verzenio (chemical name: abemaciclib) plus an aromatase inhibitor as a first treatment for advanced-stage hormone receptor-positive, HER2-negative breast cancer improves survival by 13.1 months compared to an aromatase inhibitor alone.
Listen to The Breastcancer.org Podcast episode featuring Dr. Matthew Goetz explaining the MONARCH 3 study:
Verzenio Improves Overall Survival in Hormone Receptor-Positive, HER2-Negative, Advanced Stage Breast Cancer
Sep 28, 2022Triple-negative breast cancer vaccine update
Dr. G. Thomas Budd, an oncologist, and Dr. Justin Johnson, an immunologist, are researching a vaccine to prevent triple-negative breast cancer. Dr. Justin Johnson explains the encouraging early results from three small studies on our podcast:
