Biomedical subjects

Karen Lisa Smith

Publications and source records attributed to Karen Lisa Smith.

2 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

Update on hereditary breast cancer.

Women with BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutations are at substantial risk for breast and ovarian cancer. This review describes recent developments in the approach to hereditary breast cancer. Risk-reducing surgeries remain the most effective means of preventing breast cancer in mutation carriers. For women with breast tissue at risk, magnetic resonance imaging is rapidly becoming incorporated into screening programs. For affected women, management does not currently differ from that of women with sporadic breast cancer, although women may choose to undergo bilateral mastectomy. Preclinical data suggest that BRCA mutation-associated breast cancers may benefit from specific targeted therapeutic approaches.

Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal↗

PubMed2006

Cardiac dysfunction associated with trastuzumab.

The HER2/neu gene is amplified in approximately 25% of breast cancers, leading to HER2 protein overexpression and shortened overall survival and time to relapse. Trastuzumab is a humanised, monoclonal antibody against HER2, which improves survival for women with metastatic HER2-overexpressing breast cancer and reduces the risk of recurrence in women with early stage HER2-overexpressing breast cancer. Cardiac toxicity was an unexpected finding in the pivotal Phase III trial leading to the approval of trastuzumab, and prospective cardiac monitoring has, therefore, been incorporated into more recent clinical trials of trastuzumab. This article reviews the cardiac toxicity findings in key trastuzumab clinical trials and clinical characteristics of trastuzumab-associated cardiac toxicity.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗