skip to main content

Breast Cancer — SCE Medical Oncology MCQ

Instant feedback + full explanation. One question, done properly.

HardBreast CancerBreast CancerSCE Medical Oncology

A woman has completely resected 22 mm node-positive triple-negative breast cancer, germline BRCA1 pathogenic variant and completion of anthracycline-taxane chemotherapy. Which additional systemic treatment is indicated?

Educational content. Not a substitute for clinical judgement or local policy.

Reveal the answer and explanation

Correct answer: B — Adjuvant olaparib continued for one year after chemotherapy

Explanation lettering: C = shown as A · E = shown as B · A = shown as C · B = shown as D · D = shown as E

E is correct. This is HER2-negative, germline BRCA1-mutated, high-risk early breast cancer after chemotherapy, matching NICE TA886 for one year of adjuvant olaparib. Additional carboplatin after a completed anthracycline-taxane course is not the specified strategy. Observation discards a treatment with invasive-disease-free and overall-survival benefit. Pembrolizumab for early TNBC is delivered as a perioperative pathway beginning neoadjuvantly rather than newly introduced after surgery in this scenario. Capecitabine is principally considered for residual disease after neoadjuvant chemotherapy and does not replace indicated BRCA-directed olaparib here.

Reference: NICE TA886 adjuvant olaparib recommendations: https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ta886/chapter/1-Recommendations