Pathology's role in the selection of targeted therapy for breast cancer

Breast cancer is the most common cancer diagnosed in women and the second leading cause of female cancer death in the United States. In the last 25 years, the number of therapeutic options for breast cancer has increased, improving survival for breast cancer patients. Selecting appropriate targeted therapy for breast cancer patients starts with pathology. The pathologic diagnosis and testing for breast biomarkers, estrogen receptor, progesterone receptor, and HER2, are essential for determining the need for additional tumor testing and for selecting appropriate therapy that will give each breast cancer patient the best chance at improved survival. 

Learning Objectives:

• Classify breast cancer based on biomarker status. 
• Associate targeted therapies for breast cancer with the pathways driving tumor growth that these drugs block. 
• Identify key items in the pathology report that are important for selecting appropriate therapy and ordering additional tests for breast cancer. 
• Review challenges that pathology faces, past and present, in breast cancer testing.