Research Department

Medical Oncology/Solid Tumor Oncology

Interest

Breast cancer in young women

Area of Research

Biography

Dr. Partridge received her MD from Cornell University Medical College in 1995. She completed her residency in internal medicine at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania and went on to complete fellowships in medical oncology and hematology at DFCI. Later she received an MPH from Harvard School of Public Health. She is a medical oncologist focusing on the care of women with breast cancer, and she has a particular interest in the psychosocial, behavioral, and communication issues in breast cancer care and treatment.

Research

Breast cancer is the most common malignancy in U.S. women, with over 215,000 new cases diagnosed in 2005. Although the median age at breast cancer diagnosis is approximately 65, more than 14,000 women 40 years of age or younger are diagnosed with breast cancer each year in the United States. Because women in this younger age group represent a minority of the women diagnosed with breast cancer, far less is known about breast cancer in younger women than older women. Evidence shows that young age is an independent risk factor for disease recurrence and death. It is controversial whether the poorer prognosis is a reflection of delays in diagnosis or differences in biology, but accumulating evidence indicates that biologic differences may play an important role.

In addition to being at higher risk of dying from breast cancer than older women, young women with breast cancer are at increased risk of psychosocial distress at diagnosis and in follow-up when compared with older women. Young women with breast cancer face a variety of unique medical and psychosocial concerns as a result of their diagnosis and subsequent treatment. In particular, fertility and family planning, menopausal symptoms, and sexual functioning are of great concern to this patient population.

Our research focuses on the psychosocial, behavioral, and communication issues associated with breast cancer care, especially the unique issues facing young women with breast cancer. Several ongoing projects include evaluation of adherence with hormonal therapies in women with early-stage breast cancer, assessment of fertility and fertility concerns in young women undergoing breast cancer treatment, and communication of study results to patients following clinical trial participation.

Select Publications

• Partridge AH, Gelber S, Peppercorn J, Sampson E, Knudsen K, Laufer M, Rosenberg R, Przypyszny M, Rein A, Winer EP. Web-based survey of fertility issues in young women with breast cancer. J Clin Oncol 2004;22:4174-83.
• Partridge AH, Wong JS, Knudsen K, Gelman R, Sampson E, Gadd M, Bishop K, Harris JR, Winer EP. Offering participants results of a clinical trial: sharing results of a negative study. Lancet 2005;365:963-4.
• Partridge AH, Wang PS, Winer EP, Avorn JL. Nonadherence to adjuvant tamoxifen therapy in women with primary breast cancer. J Clin Oncol 2003;21:602-6.
• Partridge AH, Burstein HJ, Gelman RS, Marcom PK, Winer EP. Do patients participating in clinical trials want to know study results? J Natl Cancer Inst 2003;95:67-8.
• Partridge AH, Hackett N, Blood E, Gelman R, Joffe S, Bauer-Wu S, Knudsen K, Emmons K, Collyar D, Schilsky RL, Winer EP. Oncology physician and nurse practices and attitudes regarding offering clinical trial results to study participants. J Natl Cancer Inst 2004;96:629-32.