In this IMPAKT we tried to focus on three main areas. One obviously would be biomarkers of prediction of response or prediction of resistance and all the problems associated with resistance to the different types of therapies that we have currently for breast cancer. The other theme is the role of liquid biopsies and how can we perhaps in the future overcome the need to perform sequential biopsies and use more other fluids of the body, particularly blood samples or even other types of fluids. The main theme was how can we combine the available therapies to try to delay as much as possible or to overcome the resistance to available therapies.

Is there any poster presentation or talk that has stood out to you and why?

As most of you know, this is a conference for translational research and how to best apply it in our clinical practice. We had yesterday the best abstract session where some new data was presented, some quite interesting data, namely the use of CDK inhibitors in HER2 positive disease which is something new since so far we have been using in the luminal subtype. So maybe I would highlight that part.

In the remaining two days of the conference what are you most looking forward to?

In the last session of the conference there will be a discussion around a position paper that we will write afterwards in terms of some discussion on the controversies in these three areas that we have discussed. Maybe then write it down and highlight how can we dissect these controversies and how best to apply this knowledge in the clinical practice. So that last session will be quite interesting to see.

What is your take home message?

I would say that the most important take home message is that with all the available therapies that we have for breast cancer, many of them with toxicity, most of them with financial toxicity, meaning they are quite expensive, the role of the translational research and the search for biomarkers that would help us define the subgroup of patients that actually derive the best or the biggest benefit from a certain therapy or the identification of patients who do not derive any benefit from a certain therapy, this is crucial so that going forward we do not prescribe everything to everyone but that we really go into personalised medicine, individualised, and prescribe just what is indispensable for the patient in front of us.