Dr. Mixon begins by defining lymphedema as a chronic, progressive condition often resulting from cancer treatment. A key focus is on identifying patients at high risk, including those undergoing lymph node dissection or radiation. She underscores the importance of risk stratification and proactive intervention to prevent progression to irreversible stages.
Dr. Yao highlights that approximately 2 million older adults in the US are permanently homebound, with cancer among the leading diagnoses, and many more experience frequent periods of functional decline or immobility. These patients face significant disparities in access to care, particularly racial and ethnic minorities who are more likely to die at home without adequate support.
Dr. Godley emphasizes the increasing recognition of germline predisposition in hematopoietic malignancies, challenging traditional assumptions that these genetic factors are rare. The talk includes a short Q&A discussion at the end.
Dr. Zimmer provides an in-depth exploration of brain metastases in breast cancer, emphasizing the challenges in management and evolving treatment strategies, outlining the clinical complexities associated with HER2-positive, triple-negative, and hormone receptor-positive breast cancers and their distinct metastatic patterns and treatment responses.