At the December 2024 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium (SABCS), Avalere’s oncology advisory experts connected with leading industry and academic experts to discuss the future of oncology, particularly in the areas of prevention, diagnosis ,and therapy for breast cancer and premalignant breast disease. Key themes emerged from our conversations with therapeutic, diagnostic, and device companies:

1. Screening to Advance Patient-Centric Outcomes. Risk reduction and early detection was a central theme at SABCS. Stakeholders discussed replacing traditional age-based screening with risk-based screening, with a focus on minimizing false positives from screenings. Stakeholders also considered the use of predictive models to improve harm-benefit ratios for risk-based screening. Studies continue to demonstrate that cancer affects not only the patient, but their families and caregivers. Prioritizing patient and caregiver experiences when tailoring the treatment, disease monitoring, and recovery process can lead to better patient-centered outcomes.
2. Innovations through Precision Medicine. Precision medicine to treat breast cancer continues to be in the spotlight. Several discussions showcased innovative approaches in breast cancer disease monitoring, particularly with regards to minimal residual disease and the use of circulating tumor DNA as an early indicator of tumor recurrence. These advancements align with the desire to for more risk reduction and early detection tools. As evidence-based interventions continue to be a pillar in routine healthcare and public health settings, they will even be more impactful as tools to inform market access strategies and healthcare decision making.
3. Advancements in Clinical Trials. Several workshops and sessions detailed the results of trials focused on recent innovative treatments, advanced dose optimization strategies, and new technologies. These included the use of liquid biopsy and tumor detection technology in various patient populations to identify cancer and create treatment plans for better outcomes. While clinical trials remain the gold standard for assessing the safety and efficacy of these treatments, real world evidence demonstrating the impact of these new innovations will be pivotal to support adoption and differentiation from comparators, incorporating patient preference, tolerability profile, total cost of care, and clinical effectiveness.

How We Can Help

The San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium allowed Avalere’s oncology experts to bring their unique perspectives to the evolving discussions about breast cancer treatment innovations, barriers, and challenges. Demonstrating the impact of real-world evidence, access, value, and policy strategies can help stakeholders across the oncology ecosystem prepare for and respond to changes in the landscape. To learn how Avalere can support you as you prepare for market entry or seek to further differentiate in-market offerings, connect with us.