OLN Great Debates: Navigating Evolving Evidence and Treatment Decisions in Breast Oncology

For clinicians treating breast cancer, staying current has never been more challenging. New trial data, biomarker-driven strategies, and therapeutic options continue to emerge at a rapid pace, yet translating that evidence into confident, patient-specific decisions remains difficult in day-to-day practice.

OLN Great Debates in Solid Tumors is designed to address this challenge. Rather than relying on traditional lecture-based education, the meeting uses a point/counterpoint debate format to test evidence in real time, surface areas of uncertainty, and explore how emerging data should or should not change clinical practice. 

In 2026, updates within the Breast Oncology program are designed to give providers clearer frameworks for navigating these decisions in clinic.

Why the Debate Format Matters for Breast Oncology

Breast cancer care continues to grow more complex as new biomarkers, targeted therapies, and sequencing questions reshape treatment pathways. OLN Great Debates creates space for expert faculty to examine these issues from opposing viewpoints, allowing clinicians to better understand where consensus exists and where clinical judgment remains critical.

Across the breast cancer sessions, clinicians can expect:

·       Evidence examined through structured debate rather than a single narrative

·       Case-based discussions that reflect real-world patient scenarios

·       Practical interpretation of evolving trial data and regulatory approvals

·       Clear takeaways that can be applied immediately in clinical practice
 

Evolving Leadership and Program Updates in Breast Oncology

I am honored to join OLN Great Debates as the Breast Cancers Co-Chair and to help shape the 2026 breast oncology curriculum. The program is designed to follow the arc of emerging data throughout the year, allowing clinicians to revisit decisions as new evidence becomes available.

2026 Debate topics include:

• All Patients with TNBC Should Receive Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor Therapy: Yes vs No
  • Experts debate whether immune checkpoint inhibitors should be used universally or selectively in triple-negative breast cancer, examining trial data, biomarkers, and real-world patient selection.
     
• Oral SERDS in Breast Cancer: They’re all the Same: Yes vs No
  • This debate explores whether oral SERDs are truly interchangeable by comparing differences in mechanism, efficacy, resistance, safety, and their impact on treatment sequencing in hormone receptor-positive breast cancer.
     
• Should We Order ctDNA in the Adjuvant Setting for Early-Stage Breast Cancer Outside of Clinical Trials?: Yes vs No
  • Faculty discuss the potential benefits and limitations of using ctDNA testing in routine adjuvant care for early-stage breast cancer, weighing clinical utility, evidence gaps, and practical considerations.

Preparing for the Clinic, Not Just the Conference
 

Clinicians attending the breast oncology debates will leave with:

·       Greater confidence interpreting fast-moving evidence

·       Clearer strategies for treatment sequencing and biomarker use

·       Insight into how experts approach complex, controversial cases

·       Practical guidance that supports decision-making in Monday-morning clinic

Event Details

OLN Great Debates in Solid Tumors 2026

• Miami: March 14 to 15, 2026 | Miami
• New York City: September 26 to 27, 2026 | New York City
• Website: Explore the full 2026 program
• Registration

Kelly E McCann, MD, PhD, is an Assistant Professor of Medicine in the Division of Hematology and Oncology at the David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles.