Strategic Timing for Multidisciplinary Care in Breast Cancer
Key Points
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Including endocrinologists in care is important for breast cancer patients, particularly those with diabetes.
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Proactively managing adverse events can help patients maintain their quality of life.
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Key trials are helping to expand therapy options.
At the 2025 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting, Matthew Kurian, MD, of St. Elizabeth Healthcare, discussed treating patients with breast cancer in the community oncology setting.
In an interview with Jasmin Hundal, MD, of Cleveland Clinic, Dr. Kurian said that he involves an endocrinologist early on in patient care for a multidisciplinary approach to treatment. The collaboration is particularly important for patients with breast cancer who are borderline diabetics, he said. An endocrinologist will help manage potential adverse events such as hyperglycemia and diarrhea, which can occur early on.
Being proactive about adverse event management will hopefully help patients maintain their quality of life (QoL). Furthermore, Dr. Hundal explained that continuous glucose monitors may be valuable in managing the blood sugar levels of patients undergoing breast cancer treatment.
Innovative research continues to expand therapy options for the disease while also trying to determine what’s best for patient QoL. Three key trials to come out of the ASCO Meeting, according to Dr. Kurian, include INAVO120, VERITAC-2, and SERENA-6.