Medical Director James Clanahan, MD, FACS, Attends Annual Lynn Sage Breast Cancer Symposium

Here are a few things Dr. Clanahan learned at the event:

• Encouraged by data, the trend continues to minimize axillary surgery and remove fewer lymph nodes for women with breast cancer. This decreases the incidence of post-operative arm lymphedema. The more lymph nodes removed, the higher the risk for lymphedema.
• There has always been a question of how to treat the cancer of the breast in women with metastatic disease as there is no data that breast surgery in this situation affects the overall outcome. Their survival is based solely on the cancer that had already metastasized. The data was again reviewed, and there is still no obvious survival advantage to doing any surgery on the primary cancer in the breast. Therefore, surgery on the breast is palliative only, reserved for those patients with locally advanced breast cancer who have symptoms such as bleeding, ulceration, and pain.
• Exercise studies for breast cancer prevention and treatment have shown some efficacy; however, not enough is known yet to make definite recommendations about what exercise, how much, etc., is most beneficial.
• We have known for a long time that tumor genomics (the study of the genetic makeup of the actual tumor cells) is used to direct individual treatment. It is clear that as more is discovered about this and about an individual’s genetic makeup, specific, targeted therapy can be individualized for better outcomes and lower toxicities.

If you have a patient who is facing a breast cancer diagnosis, refer them to Dr. Clanahan to find out what their next steps should be. To refer your patients, call 618.277.7400.