Navigating the Complexities of Hormone Receptor–Positive/HER2-Negative Metastatic Breast Cancer in Older Adults: Personalized Treatments for a Vulnerable Population

Program Description

Age is a leading risk factor for breast cancer, and longer life expectancy has led to rising diagnoses, especially for hormone receptor–positive (HR+) breast cancers. There are complexities that oncology pharmacists must consider when treating HR+/HER2– metastatic breast cancer (mBC) in older patients. This population is frequently underrepresented in clinical trials, which leads to challenges in applying trial data to real-world care. This can result in misjudgments of drug efficacy and toxicity, treatment delays, and undertreatment, all of which may impact patient outcomes. The effectiveness of current targeted therapies, including CDK4/6 inhibitors, PI3K inhibitors, and PARP inhibitors, as well as investigational treatments in older patients, will be reviewed. This program will explore how to tailor treatment strategies for older patients with HR+/HER2– mBC by navigating clinical guidelines to consider patient-specific factors, such as comorbidities and frailty. Faculty experts will delve into the practical application of geriatric assessment tools to optimize treatment decisions, reduce overtreatment and undertreatment, and improve quality of life. Participants will gain practical strategies for managing treatment in older patients. This program will focus on dose modifications, toxicity management, and the importance of frequent monitoring and early intervention.

Target audience: Health-System Pharmacist, Oncology Pharmacist

Type of activity: Application
Release date: May 28, 2025
Expiration date: May 28, 2026

Time to complete activity: 1.0 hour

Learner level: Foundational
Fee: Free

Educational Objectives

At the completion of this activity, participants will be able to:

• Analyze how under-representation of older patients in clinical trials impacts treatment decisions for HR+/HER2- mBC.
• Interpret clinical guidelines for HR+/HER2- mBC treatment in older patients, considering comorbidities and frailty.
• Apply geriatric clinical assessment tools to identify frailty in older patients with HR+/HER2- mBC.