Drug-drug interactions have always been present in the treatment of breast cancer. From early in the use of tamoxifen it was recognised that the use of other drugs can affect how this agent works, with therapies like antidepressants and "natural anti-menopause" supplements having the potential to affect tamoxifen activity.
The explosion of treatment options for breast (and other) cancers including oral kinase agents, monoclonal antibodies and other novel therapies has only widened the arena and possibility of drug-drug or drug-supplement interactions that can adversely affect a patients treatment.
Both pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic interactions are now being better documented and becoming better understood as our use of these newer agents evolves.
This talk will address the major contributing factors in drug interactions with targeted agents and some of the ways these can be predicted and potentially mitigated.