Dr. Angela DeMichele on Selecting Best Therapies in TNBC

Angela DeMichele, MD, MSCE, professor of Medicine & Epidemiology and co-leader of the Breast Cancer Program at the Abramson Cancer Center, University of Pennsylvania, discusses determining optimal treatment options for triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC).

Some TNBC patients are going to respond really well to chemotherapy, while others may be chemotherapy insensitive, says DeMichele. Those who have a good response to chemotherapy will likely have a good prognosis overall. Capturing who the patients are that are going to respond to chemotherapy will improve outcomes across the disease.

There have been new data this year regarding several novel options for the treatment of TNBC. We need to think beyond the standards that are typically used said DeMichele. However, the cost and toxicity of new drugs must be considered.

Understanding who benefits based on the biology of the cancer will help oncologists tailor therapies to patients, she said.