SAN DIEGO, Calif., (KGTV) — More than 150 doctors are gathered in San Diego for an annual conference discussing new breast cancer treatments.
“I think this is a very hopeful time to be working in the field of breast oncology,” said Dr. Sara Hurvitz, Associate Professor of Medicine and the Director of the Breast Oncology Program at UCLA.
She lead the discussion on the future of cancer therapies at the 16th Annual International Congress on the Future of Breast Cancer West, organized by the Physicans’ Education Resource, LLC.
Dr. Hurvitz said there are new targeted treatments aimed at destroying cancer cells.
“Smart bombs can go in and kill the cancer cells that are different from normal cells,” said Dr. Hurvitz.
She said some are in pill form.
“Pills that block the cells ability, the cancer cells ability to divide and grow,” said Dr. Hurvitz.
She said patients need to ask the right questions and figure out what kind of breast cancer they have.
“Does it have hormone receptors, does it have HER2, because this is the information that's critical in determining what therapy is going to work for her,” said Dr. Hurvitz.
