Dr. Kalinsky on the Importance of Molecular Profiling in Breast Cancer

Kevin Kalinsky, MD, MS, associate professor, the Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Emory University School of Medicine, director, the Glenn Family Breast Center, Breast Medical Oncology, Louisa and Rand Glenn Family Chair in Breast Cancer Research, Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University, discusses the importance of molecular profiling in breast cancer.

Even if a patient with breast cancer undergoes genetic testing after receiving a diagnosis of metastatic disease, it is common practice to perform genetic testing again following disease progression to understand if new mutations led to treatment resistance, Kalinsky says.

In addition to searching for newly developed mutations or alterations, another genetic test can allow clinicians to see if the cancer is similar to how it was when it became metastatic, Kalinsky continues. Since breast cancer can change over time, clinicians must remain diligent about any potential changes to the genetic profile of a patient’s tumor to ensure proper treatment decisions are made in further lines of treatment, Kalinsky concludes.