Dr. Anders on Challenge of Brain Mets in Breast Cancer

Carey Anders, MD, assistant professor for the Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology and Oncology, at UNC-Chapel Hill, UNC Linebarger Comprehensive Cancer Center, discusses why brain metastases is such a prominent issue in patients with breast cancer in an interview during the 2016 OncLive State of the Science Summit on Metastatic Breast Cancer.

Brain metastases in breast cancer are becoming more common, Anders says. While systemic therapies have improved, the brain remains a sanctuary site for cancer cells to grow.

Researchers are still at the very cusp of understanding the biology of why this occurs, though there is evidence that suggest it is a subtype dependent. Patients with HER2, triple-negative, or basal-like disease are more likely to develop brain metastases, she adds.