News You Can Use: The Future of Breast Cancer Care

About the Plenary Sessions

George W. Sledge, Jr., MD, kicked off our 2009 fall conference by discussing current breast cancer research. He discussed new advances in early-stage and metastatic breast cancer, the role of personalized medicine, breakthroughs in molecular and targeted therapies and how survivorship care plans have changed the way you receive care after initial diagnosis.

Download the transcript from this plenary session.

Kathleen M. Wesa, MD, our second plenary speaker, discussed the use of complementary therapies, herbs and dietary supplements during and after breast cancer treatment.

About the Workshops

Download podcasts, transcripts and slides from these workshops:

Advanced Breast Cancer: Communicating with Your Healthcare Team

Breast Reconstruction: Understanding Your Options

A Closer Look: Breast Cancer and Women of Color

Fear of Recurrence: Controlling Fear and Worry

Hormonal Therapies: Before, During and After Breast Cancer

The Impact of Weight Training: Lymphedema, Strength and Quality of Life

Long-Term Survivorship: Developing Survivorship Care Plans

Personalized Medicine: What It Means for You

Triple-Negative Breast Cancer: Understanding Treatment Options and Post-Treatment Concerns

Aboout Our Plenary Speakers

Dr. Sledge is a professor of medicine and pathology, Ballvé-Lantero professor of oncology and co-chair of the breast cancer program at Indiana University School of Medicine. A leader in researching new treatments for breast cancer, Dr. Sledge has published extensively in the area of breast cancer research and has chaired several nationwide clinical trials involving new therapies for breast cancer. He has served as a member and vice-chairman of the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group’s Breast Cancer Committee and as editor-in-chief of Clinical Breast Cancer. Dr. Sledge is the recipient of many honors and awards, including the 2006 Komen Foundation Brinker Award for Scientific Distinction, the 2007 Jill Rose Award for Distinguished Scientific Achievement and a listing in America’s Top Doctors from 2001 to 2004.

Dr. Wesa is a physician-scientist specializing in integrative medicine at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. She combines evidence-based complementary therapies with mainstream care to help cancer patients manage symptoms. Dr. Wesa is actively involved in investigating the scientific basis of complementary therapies and has lectured throughout the U.S., India, Europe and Asia. Her primary research interests include vitamin D, medicinal mushrooms, botanical therapies and mind-body therapies. She received a Bush Medical Fellowship and a post-doctoral research fellowship in complementary therapies and clinical research from the National Institute of Health. Dr. Wesa is a reviewer for the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Therapies, the Journal of Pain and Symptom Management, Cancer and the Journal of the Society for Integrative Oncology.

About our Sponsors

Many thanks to The Breast Cancer Fund of National Philanthropic Trust, our lead sponsor; to presenting sponsor Pfizer Oncology; benefactor sponsors CURE, Novartis and Wyeth Pharmaceuticals; supporting sponsors Abraxis BioScience and Myriad Genetics; and friend sponsor Abramson Cancer Center of the University of Pennsylvania.