Dr. Kathy S. Albain on Breast Cancer Risk After 5 Years of Tamoxifen

Video

Kathy S. Albain, MD, hematology/oncology, professor, Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, discusses risk 5 years after tamoxifen in early stage ER-positive breast cancer.

Data was recently reported emphasizing that after patients stop 5 years of tamoxifen in early breast cancer, even if they have low-stage disease, there is a long-term recurrence rate out to 20 years, says Albain.

For the lowest stage, T1N0, the risk is 14%. The risk goes up incrementally as the number of nodes and the tumor size increases. There is a six-point scoring system that shows the gradations of increased risk across each stage of disease.

These data are very important as oncologists counsel women coming off 5 years of tamoxifen regarding their continued risk of recurrence.

Related Videos
Emmanuel Antonarakis, MD, associate director, Translational Research, Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Clark Endowed Professor of Medicine, University of Minnesota Medical School
Gautam Jha, MD, medical director, M Health Fairview Masonic Cancer Clinic and the Advanced Treatment Center at the M Health Fairview Clinics and Surgery Center—Minneapolis, chair, cancer committee, M Health Fairview Ridges Hospital
Ricardo D. Parrondo, MD, hematologist/oncologist, Mayo Clinic
Ilyas Sahin, MD
Raj Singh, MD
Jaime R. Merchán, MD, professor, co-leader, Translational and Clinical Oncology Research Program, director, Phase 1 Clinical Trials Program, Department of Medicine, Division of Medical Oncology, the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center
Saad J. Kenderian, MB, CHB
Tycel Phillips, MD
Minesh Mehta, MD