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. 2018 Mar;13(1):48-58.
doi: 10.1159/000486722. Epub 2018 Feb 15.

ABC4 Consensus: Assessment by a German Group of Experts

Affiliations

ABC4 Consensus: Assessment by a German Group of Experts

Nadia Harbeck et al. Breast Care (Basel). 2018 Mar.

Abstract

The Advanced Breast Cancer Fourth Consensus (ABC4) on diagnosis and treatment of advanced breast cancer (ABC) again took place in Lisbon, on November 2-4, 2017, and was chaired by Fatima Cardoso, MD, PhD. This year's contents focused very much on new developments in the treatment of ABC. For example, the significance of inhibition of cyclin-dependent kinases 4 and 6 (CDK4/6) in hormone receptor (HR)-positive ABC, of dual antibody blockade in human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-positive ABC, and of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibition in triple-negative ABC, as well as the potential therapeutic consequences, were discussed. Other key issues were BRCA-associated breast cancer, treatment of brain metastases, and personalized therapy decision-making using molecular testing (so-called 'precision medicine'). As in past years, an important objective of the ABC conference was cooperation with representatives of patient organizations from around the world. This cooperation was further intensified during the ABC4. Following the main conference, the 'Global Alliance' was founded, with the goal of publicizing and coordinating measures necessary worldwide from the patient advocates' standpoint. - The ABC consensus inevitably cannot accommodate country-specific needs, due to the truly global expert panel. Therefore, a working group of German breast cancer experts commented - as in the past years - on the on-site voting results by the ABC panelists upon which the final ABC4 consensus will be based, with particular consideration of the German guidelines on diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer for everyday treatment in Germany.

Keywords: ABC4; Advanced breast cancer; BRCA-associated; Brain metastases; HR-positive/HER2-positive; Personalized medicine.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Level-of-evidence grading system used by the ABC4 panelists. Adapted with permission from the Infectious Diseases Society of America - United States Public Health Service Grading System [29].
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Endocrine-based therapeutic options for postmenopausal patients with HR+/HER2- metastatic breast cancer. Prefinal slide according to AGO Mamma 2018 (version 2018 1E; www.ago-online.de).
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Therapeutic options in BRCA1/2-associated breast cancer according to the AGO Mamma 2017; modified according to [5, 6].

References

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    1. Liedtke C, Thill M, Jackisch C, Thomssen C, Müller V, Janni W;, on behalf of the AGO Breast Committee AGO recommendations for the diagnosis and treatment of patients with early breast cancer: update 2017. Breast Care. 2017;12:172–183. - PMC - PubMed