Video

Dr. Van Zee on Prevention of Invasive Recurrence in Breast Cancer

Kimberly Van Zee, MD, discusses the importance of preventing invasive recurrence in patients with breast cancer at the 21st Annual Lynn Sage Breast Cancer Symposium.

Kimberly Van Zee, MD, an attending surgeon in the Department of Breast Cancer at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and professor of Surgery at the Weill Cornell Medical College, discusses the importance of preventing invasive recurrence in patients with breast cancer at the 21st Annual Lynn Sage Breast Cancer Symposium.

Because there are such wide variations in the recurrence rate and quality of life among the different treatment options for these patients, physicians can find the decision making process very difficult, says Van Zee. The goal of any treatment, however, is to prevent recurrence because half of all recurrences will be invasive.

Overall survival data in all studies have been excellent, so treatment decisions will be made based on local recurrences rather than survival, Van Zee adds. Since local recurrence is associated with a lower risk of invasive recurrence and a lower risk of needing chemotherapy, as well as having a survival impact.

<<< View more from the 2019 Lynn Sage Breast Cancer Symposium

Related Videos
5 experts are featured in this series
5 experts are featured in this series
Eric Winer, MD
Aditya Bardia, MD, MPH, FASCO
2 experts are featured in this series.
2 experts are featured in this series.
FRCSI, FRCSEd, medical director, Thoracic Cancer Program, and associate executive director, AdventHealth Cancer Institute
Benjamin P. Levy, MD, clinical director, Medical Oncology, Johns Hopkins Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center at Sibley Memorial Hospital; and associate professor, oncology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine