In 1995, the Board of Directors of Breast Health International organized a Breast Cancer “Think Tank,”  a nucleus of the world’s most renown breast cancer experts, for the purpose of selecting new or controversial issues in breast cancer research or patient care for discussion. Subsequently, leading breast cancer scientists specializing in that particular topic were invited to a “Consensus Conference” in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, a three day seminar to debate current information to formulate guidelines for breast cancer treatment.

The first Consensus Conference was held in 1997 and dealt with The Classification of DCIS. The next two conferences were devoted to The Treatment of DCIS (1999), and Sentinel Node Biopsy (2001). Proceedings of the meetings were published concurrently in three peer review medical journals, an almost unprecedented event, and testimony to their importance to the medical community and influence on the care of breast cancer patients worldwide.

The 2003 conference addressed Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy in Breast Cancer. Although much research has focused on the earlier detection of breast cancer, much less attention had been paid to this group of women with respect to treatment options that may increase survival as well as permit breast conservation.

Conference panelists analyzed and debated extant information about treatment of this group of patients, using published information as well as their own experience, to make recommendations for patient care as well as to define areas for further research. Once again proceedings of the 2003 conference were published concurrently in three peer-review medical journals.

The 2005 conference topic was Breast Conservation in the 21st Century and was co-sponsored by BHI and the European School of Oncology. The seminar, which was held in Milan, Italy, was co-chaired by Dr. Gordon F. Schwartz and Professor Umberto Veronesi, founder and scientific director of  the European School of Oncology. Dr. Veronesi pioneered breast-conserving surgery in the late 1960’s. His research and procedures developed from his controlled clinical trials have offered thousands of women the option of saving their breast following a cancer diagnosis. Again, proceedings of the 2005 conference were published concurrently in several (four) peer-review medical journals.

The 2007 Consensus Conference was held in Philadelphia April 27 through April 29th. Thirty four physicians gathered to discuss Breast Cancer Genetics – Risk and Risk Management. Since the discovery of specific genetic information that influences the development of breast cancer, investigators have focused increased attention to the prediction of breast cancer risk by the study of human genes. Concurrently, studies on the “chemoprevention” of breast cancer have created controversy about the treatment of healthy women with drugs that might decrease their risk of developing breast cancer yet have side effects of their own. Little data exist that permit the precise prediction of breast cancer risk, and women who are known to be at increased risk because of family histories or genetic profiling are uncertain about the path they should follow to remain well.  By convening a group of experts in this field, BHI hopes to be able to provide sensible guidelines for women and their physicians.  Once again, proceedings of the 2007 conference were published concurrently in several peer-reviewed medical journals.

The last weekend of October 2010, witnessed the Breast Health International’s seventh international consensus conference, addressing the topic of Adjuvant Therapy In Stage I Breast Cancer, Including The Influence Of Multigene Assays And Molecular Profiling. Participating in the conference were 21 experts, all renowned breast cancer scientists in their respective fields, from North America and Europe, representing the disciplines of medical genetics, medical oncology, surgical oncology, radiology, pathology, and radiation oncology.

The care of early breast cancer has changed dramatically in the past two decades.  Prior to 1988, virtually no patients with so-called early cancer (Stage I) underwent chemotherapy treatment.  Because not all patients with even these early cancers survived, scientists further segregated Stage I cancers into those that they considered to be “high” and “low” risk, based upon characteristics of the cancer that could be determined by the clinical examination of the patient or by microscopic examination of the tumor.  In the past few years, scientists have been able to delve further into the sub-microscopic characteristics of cancers, as defined by molecular analysis of the tumors, analogous to the manner in which detectives identify people by their individual DNA profiles.  Now, tumors that formerly looked alike under the microscope can be divided into sub-groups by looking at their genetic profile and reacting to each cancer’s individual molecular portrait.  The outcomes of these different groups of “look-alikes” can be used to personalize treatment for individual patients based upon their molecular portraits.

The discussions and conclusions generated by this group of esteemed scientists were recorded in their entirety.  A committee of the group is currently reviewing the transcripts to prepare a summary of the conference suitable for publication in refereed medical journals.

Since 1997 over one hundred ninety North American and European scientists have participated in the Breast Health International Consensus Conferences, and the guidelines promulgated by their discussions are aimed at breast cancer patients throughout the world.  Breast cancer does not recognize geographical or political boundaries!

View a list of Consensus Conference Represented Institutions