Breast Cancer Breakthroughs Episode 18: Right-sizing Breast Cancer Treatment Using Dose Optimization

Breakthroughs in breast cancer don’t always mean new drugs – they’re also made by optimizing currently available treatments. In this episode of Breast Cancer Breakthroughs, Komen Scholar Alumni and Chief Medical Officer of ASCO, Julie Gralow, M.D., and Director of Breast Cancer Clinical Research at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Associate Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School , Erica Mayer, M.D., MPH , discuss right-sizing breast cancer treatment through dose optimization and clinical trials that are testing how different dosing strategies impact treatment adherence, quality of life and outcomes.

Speakers:
- Kelsey Hampton, Ph.D., is Director, Mission Communications & Education at Susan G. Komen
- Julie Gralow, M.D. is Chief Medical Officer of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO)
- Erica Mayer, M.D., M.P.H., is Director of Breast Cancer Clinical Research at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Associate Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School

Primary Links:
- Sign up for reminders about future episodes of Breast Cancer Breakthroughs here: https://www.komen.org/about-komen/our-impact/breast-cancer/breast-cancer-breakthroughs-series/
- Link to Survey: https://susangkomen.iad1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_b4pVz10XB2gPJoq
- Clinical Trial Finder: https://www.breastcancertrials.org/BCTIncludes/index.html

Videos:
- CDK4/6 inhibitors in Breast Cancer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UNxSJN7Twh4

Additional Resources:
- Blog on Breast Cancer Breakthroughs Episode 18: Right-Sizing Breast Cancer Treatment Through Dose Optimization: https://www.komen.org/blog/bcbt-18-right-sizing-breast-cancer-treatments/
- CDK4/6 Inhibitors: https://www.komen.org/breast-cancer/treatment/type/cdk4-6-inhibitors/
- Managing Side Effects and Supportive Care: https://www.komen.org/breast-cancer/treatment/side-effects/supportive-care/
- Breast Cancer Clinical Trials: https://www.komen.org/breast-cancer/treatment/clinical-trials/
- Following Your Treatment Plan: https://www.komen.org/breast-cancer/treatment/issues/following-your-treatment-plan/
- Published TRADE Trial Results: https://www.annalsofoncology.org/article/S0923-7534(25)04932-4/fulltext
- TRADE Trial Fact Sheet: https://www.komen.org/wp-content/uploads/Spotlight-on-Clinical-Trials-EmpowHER-303.pdf

Clinical Trials Mentioned in Episode:
- AMALEE (Completed) NCT03822468: https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT03822468
- CDK Study (Active, recruiting) NCT06377852: https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06377852
- MonarchE (Active, not recruiting) NCT03155997: https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT03155997
- TRADE (Active, not recruiting) NCT06001762: https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06001762

00:00 Introduction
01:08 Background on Treatment Dosing
03:12 The FDA’s Work in Dose Optimization
04:34 Dose Optimization in Advanced Breast Cancer: AMALEE and CDK Clinical Trials
09:55 Early-Stage Breast Cancer: monarchE and TRADE Clinical Trials
15:55 Reporting Side Effects
17:56 Conclusion