Recent Advances in Cancer Care — New Paradigms, Novel Agents and What It Means for the Oncology Nurse: Optimizing the Use of CDK4/6 Inhibitors in the Management of HR-Positive Breast Cancer

Faculty

Faculty

Kelly Fischer

MSN, FNP-BC

Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts

Family Nurse Practitioner

Faculty

Marissa Marti-Smith

DNP, APRN, AGNP-C, AOCNP

Texas Oncology-Baylor Charles A Sammons Cancer Center, Dallas, Texas

Nurse Practitioner

Faculty

Ruth M O'Regan, MD

University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York

Charles A Dewey Professor of Medicine and Oncology, Chair, Department of Medicine,

Strong Memorial Hospital, Rochester, New York

Physician-in-Chief

Wilmot Cancer Institute, Rochester, New York

Associate Director of Education and Mentoring

Moderator

Rita Nanda

MD

The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois

Director, Breast Oncology, Associate Professor of Medicine, Section of Hematology/Oncology

Program Schedule — Central Time
5:30 AM – 6:00 AM — Registration and Breakfast
6:00 AM – 7:30 AM — Educational Meeting

MODULE 1: Appropriate Risk Assessment for Patients with Hormone Receptor (HR)-Positive, HER2-Negative Localized Breast Cancer; Rationale for the Use of CDK4/6 Inhibitors for Those at High Risk for Recurrence

• Clinicopathologic factors (eg, age, tumor size and grade, nodal involvement) affecting the risk of recurrence for patients with HR-positive, HER2-negative localized breast cancer
• Long-term outcomes achieved with standard adjuvant endocrine therapy with or without chemotherapy for patients with HR-positive, HER2-negative localized breast cancer, including those at high risk for recurrence
• Mechanism of antitumor activity of CDK4/6 inhibitors; similarities and differences among available agents in this class
• Rationale for the addition of CDK4/6 inhibitors to standard adjuvant endocrine therapy for patients with high-risk, HR-positive, HER2-negative localized breast cancer

MODULE 2: Role of Adjuvant CDK4/6 Inhibitor Therapy for High-Risk, HR-Positive, HER2-Negative Localized Breast Cancer

• Extended follow-up, including recently published overall survival outcomes, with the addition of abemaciclib to standard adjuvant hormonal therapy for patients with high-risk, HR-positive, HER2-negative localized breast cancer
• Five-year outcomes with ribociclib and endocrine therapy compared to endocrine therapy alone as adjuvant treatment for high-risk, HR-positive, HER2-negative localized breast cancer
• FDA-approved indications and identification of appropriate candidates for adjuvant abemaciclib and ribociclib

MODULE 3: CDK4/6 Inhibitors for HR-Positive Metastatic Breast Cancer (mBC)

• Long-term follow-up data with abemaciclib, palbociclib and ribociclib for patients with HR-positive mBC
• Factors affecting the selection of a CDK4/6 inhibitor and an endocrine partner for premenopausal and postmenopausal patients
• Role of CDK4/6 inhibitors in treatment for unique patient populations, such as those with aggressive visceral disease and those with CNS metastases
• Available data on the utility of continuing CDK4/6 inhibitors beyond progression or rechallenge in later lines of therapy; current role of this strategy in clinical practice

MODULE 4: Cytopenias Associated with CDK4/6 Inhibitors

• Similarities and differences in the tolerability profiles of abemaciclib, palbociclib and ribociclib; spectrum and frequency of commonly occurring class-effect toxicities, such as cytopenias, gastrointestinal (GI) events and fatigue
• Appropriate monitoring of complete blood counts during CDK4/6 inhibitor therapy
• Thresholds for dose modification, treatment interruption and treatment discontinuation for patients experiencing cytopenias on CDK4/6 inhibitor therapy

MODULE 5: GI Adverse Events Documented with CDK4/6 Inhibitors

• Rates of various GI issues (eg, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting, constipation, abdominal pain) in patients receiving CDK4/6 inhibitor therapy
• Indications for antidiarrheals and/or antiemetics for patients receiving CDK4/6 inhibitors
• Role of nutritional counselling and diet modifications in CDK4/6 inhibitor treatment

MODULE 6: Rarer but Potentially Serious Toxicities Associated with 1 or More CDK4/6 Inhibitors

• Incidence of interstitial lung disease/pneumonitis associated with CDK4/6 inhibitor therapy; recommended algorithms for monitoring, mitigation and management
• Frequency and severity of hepatotoxicity documented with CDK4/6 inhibitors; appropriate monitoring of liver function tests before and during treatment
• Rates of venous thromboembolic events (VTE) reported with CDK4/6 inhibitor therapy; optimal monitoring for signs of VTE and precautionary measures for patients with preexisting risk factors
• Severe cutaneous adverse reactions (eg, Stevens-Johnson syndrome, toxic epidermal necrolysis, drug-induced hypersensitivity syndrome/drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms) documented with CDK4/6 inhibitors; role of dermatologic consultation in the care of patients with signs or symptoms
• Incidence of cardiac toxicity with ribociclib; appropriate use of electrocardiogram monitoring before and during therapy

MODULE 7: Practical Considerations with CDK4/6 Inhibitors

• Optimal dosing and dose-adjustment strategies with CDK4/6 inhibitors for patients with localized and metastatic breast cancer
• Recommended duration of CDK4/6 inhibitor therapy in the adjuvant setting
• Approaches for encouraging and assessing adherence for patients receiving CDK4/6 inhibitor therapy
• Drug-drug interactions noted with 1 or more CDK4/6 inhibitors

Target Audience
This activity has been designed to meet the educational needs of oncology nurses, nurse practitioners and clinical nurse specialists involved in the treatment of breast cancer.

Learning Objectives
Upon completion of this activity, participants should be able to

• Discern the mechanism by which the cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) pathway contributes to breast cancer proliferation and growth, and consider the implications for the management of hormone receptor (HR)-positive disease.
• Understand how various clinical and biological factors, such as age or menopausal status, tumor size or grade and nodal involvement, affect the risk of disease recurrence, and use this information to personalize the selection of adjuvant systemic therapy for patients with newly diagnosed HR-positive, HER2-negative localized breast cancer.
• Consider available clinical trial findings with CDK4/6 inhibitors for localized HR-positive, HER2-negative breast cancer, and identify patients for whom adjuvant treatment with one of these agents would be appropriate.
• Appraise published findings from randomized clinical trials establishing the efficacy and safety of CDK4/6 inhibitors in patients with HR-positive metastatic breast cancer in order to understand the risks, benefits and optimal clinical use of these agents in various patient subgroups.
• Recognize adverse events and other common side effects associated with different CDK4/6 inhibitors for breast cancer, and tailor therapy for patients with preexisting medical conditions and relevant comorbidities.
• Develop preventive and emergent strategies to reduce or ameliorate the various toxicities associated with CDK4/6 inhibitors.

Accreditation Statement
Research To Practice is accredited as a provider of nursing continuing professional development by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s (ANCC) Commission on Accreditation.

Credit Designation Statements
This educational activity for 1.5 contact hours is provided by Research To Practice.

This activity is awarded 1.5 ANCC pharmacotherapeutic contact hours.

Oncology Nursing Certification Corporation (ONCC)/Individual Learning Needs Assessment (ILNA) Certification Information
The program content has been reviewed by the Oncology Nursing Certification Corporation (ONCC) and is acceptable for recertification points. To review certification qualifications please visit https://researchtopractice.com/Meetings/ONS2026/CDKiHRPositiveBreastCancer/ILNA.

ONCC review is only for designating content to be used for recertification points and is not for NCPD accreditation. NCPD programs must be formally approved for contact hours by an acceptable accreditor/approver of nursing CE to be used for recertification by ONCC. If the NCPD provider fails to obtain formal approval to award contact hours by an acceptable accrediting/approval body, no information related to ONCC recertification or ILNA categories may be used in relation to the program.

Credit Form
To obtain a certificate of completion and receive credit for this event, nurses must attend the entire activity and return a completed Educational Assessment and Credit Form. A credit form link will be given to each participant as part of the meeting course materials.

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Content Validation and Disclosures
Research To Practice (RTP) is committed to providing its participants with high-quality, unbiased and state-of-the-art education. Any individuals in a position to control the content of an accredited continuing education activity, including faculty, planners, reviewers and others, are required to disclose all relevant financial relationships with ineligible entities (commercial interests). All relevant financial relationships will have been mitigated prior to the commencement of this activity. In addition, all activity content is reviewed by RTP scientific staff and an external, independent reviewer for fair balance, scientific objectivity of studies referenced and patient care recommendations.

FACULTY — Ms Fischer has no relevant financial relationships to disclose. The following faculty reported relevant financial relationships with ineligible entities:

Ms Marti-Smith — Consulting Agreements: Amplity; Speakers Bureaus: AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP, Biotheranostics Inc, A Hologic Company, Daiichi Sankyo Inc, Stemline Therapeutics Inc; Nonrelevant Financial Relationships: ASCO Quality Care Symposium, Clinical Care Options, Kaplan, OncLive, Oncology Nursing News. Dr O’Regan — Advisory Committees: Biotheranostics Inc, A Hologic Company; Consulting Agreements: Biotheranostics Inc, A Hologic Company, Gilead Sciences Inc, Lilly, Puma Biotechnology Inc, Regor Pharmaceuticals; Contracted Research: Novartis, Puma Biotechnology Inc; Data and Safety Monitoring Board/Committee: Gilead Sciences Inc.

MODERATOR — Dr Nanda — Advisory Committees: AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP, Corcept Therapeutics Inc, Daiichi Sankyo Inc, Exact Sciences Corporation, Gilead Sciences Inc, Lilly, Mabwell Therapeutics Inc, Merck, Pfizer Inc, Summit Therapeutics; Contracted Research: Arvinas, AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP, Corcept Therapeutics Inc, Genentech, a member of the Roche Group, Gilead Sciences Inc, Jazz Pharmaceuticals Inc, Mabwell Therapeutics Inc, Merck, Pfizer Inc, Relay Therapeutics.

RESEARCH TO PRACTICE NCPD PLANNING COMMITTEE MEMBERS, STAFF AND REVIEWERS
Planners, scientific staff and independent reviewers for Research To Practice have no relevant financial relationships to disclose.

Supporters
This activity is supported by educational grants from Lilly and Novartis.

Location
San Antonio Marriott Rivercenter
101 Bowie St
San Antonio, TX 78205
Hotel Phone: (210) 223-1000

Meeting Room
Grand Ballroom A-F (Third Floor)

Directions
The Marriott Rivercenter hotel is conveniently located within walking distance (1.5 blocks) of the Henry B González Convention Center, where the 2026 ONS Congress is taking place.

Registration is now closed.