In This Month’s News:
- FDA Warns Breast Biopsy Needle Shortage Could Continue Into 2027
- A Wave of New FDA Approvals Is Expanding Breast Cancer Treatment Options
- New Report Highlights Ongoing Cancer Care Disparities
- Medicare Coverage for Some DCIS Biomarker Tests Remains Under Review
Every month, the Virginia Breast Cancer Foundation reviews dozens of breast cancer news stories from trusted medical organizations, government agencies, and peer-reviewed journals. We select the developments most likely to affect patients, survivors, caregivers, and advocates—and explain what they mean in plain language.
CARE UPDATE
FDA Warns Breast Biopsy Needle Shortage Could Continue Into 2027
In One Sentence: Some breast biopsy appointments may be delayed because of a nationwide shortage of specialized biopsy needles.
What happened?
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that a nationwide shortage of certain stereotactic breast biopsy needles is expected to continue through March 2027. Some imaging centers may need to use different biopsy methods, refer patients to another facility, or delay procedures while supplies remain limited.
The American College of Radiology (ACR) has also issued recommendations to help health care providers minimize delays and continue caring for patients safely.
What this means for you
If your biopsy is delayed:
- Ask why.
- Ask whether another facility has the equipment needed if you want to try and get your biopsy sooner.
- Ask whether another biopsy method is appropriate.
Primary Sources
TREATMENT UPDATES
A Wave of New FDA Approvals Is Expanding Breast Cancer Treatment Options
In One Sentence: Between May and June 2026, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved or expanded the use of five breast cancer treatments, giving some patients more personalized options based on their cancer’s type and biology.
What happened?
The FDA announced several significant breast cancer drug approvals and expanded indications over the past two months. While each approval applies to a specific group of patients, together they reflect an important trend in breast cancer care: treatments are becoming increasingly personalized.
Rather than using a one-size-fits-all approach, many newer therapies are designed for cancers with specific characteristics, such as hormone receptor status, HER2 status, or genetic mutations within the tumor. This allows health care providers to better match treatments to an individual’s disease.
Recent FDA Breast Cancer Approvals
Veppanu (vepdegestrant)
Who it may help: People with hormone receptor-positive (HR+), HER2-negative, ESR1-mutated advanced or metastatic breast cancer.
What’s new: The first FDA-approved PROTAC (protein degrader) therapy for breast cancer, offering a new treatment option for eligible patients. Instead of just blocking the estrogen receptors on the tumor, “the drug marks the cancer’s receptors for destruction”, meaning that estrogen can no longer use that receptor to feed the tumor.
Enhertu (trastuzumab deruxtecan)
Who it may help: Certain people with HER2-positive Stage II-III breast cancer.
What’s new: Approved for use before surgery (neoadjuvant treatment) and for patients with residual disease after treatment. Getting this landmark drug for metastatic HER2-low patients approved for earlier in the disease trajectory will hopefully delay or avoid the development of metastatic disease.
Datroway (datopotamab deruxtecan)
Who it may help: People with unresectable or metastatic triple-negative breast cancer who are not candidates for certain immunotherapies.
What’s new: A newly approved treatment option for eligible patients. New drugs for triple-negative breast cancer are very important because therapies for this type of breast cancer are limited, even though triple-negative is responsible for a high number of breast cancer deaths, particularly in Black women.
Trodelvy (sacituzumab govitecan)
Who it may help: People with unresectable or metastatic triple-negative breast cancer.
What’s new: Expanded approval for first-line treatment, including use with pembrolizumab for eligible patients. When a drug is moved to a first-line treatment, that means that the benefit to progression-free survival (PFS), the amount of time when someone’s cancer does not grow, is substantial enough to make it worth being the first drug tried by someone newly diagnosed with metastatic disease. Trodelvy’s median PFS was 9.7 months as a first-line treatment, meaning that most people were able to spend close to a year without having to change treatments.
Why it matters
These approvals represent continued progress toward more personalized breast cancer treatment. Instead of selecting therapies based only on where the cancer started, doctors increasingly use information about a tumor’s biology to determine which treatments are most likely to be effective.
Although not every approval applies to every patient, expanding treatment options gives health care providers greater flexibility to tailor care to each person’s diagnosis and circumstances.
What this means for you
If you have been diagnosed with breast cancer, these approvals are a reminder that treatment recommendations continue to evolve.
You may want to ask your health care team:
- Does my cancer have biomarkers or genetic features that affect my treatment options?
- Have all recommended biomarker or genetic tests been completed?
- Are any of these newly approved treatments appropriate for my type and stage of breast cancer?
- Are there clinical trials that may also be an option for me?
Remember, every breast cancer diagnosis is different. The treatments listed above are approved for specific types and stages of breast cancer and may not be appropriate for everyone. Your health care team can help determine the best treatment plan based on your individual diagnosis.
Primary Sources
- FDA Oncology Drug Approvals
- Understanding the FDA Approval of Veppanu: Your Questions Answered
- FDA Approval: Datroway (datopotamab deruxtecan)
- FDA Approval: Trodelvy (sacituzumab govitecan)
HEALTH EQUITY
New Report Highlights Ongoing Cancer Care Disparities
In One Sentence: Progress in cancer care continues, but not everyone has equal access to screening, treatment, and follow-up care.
What happened?
The American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) released its 2026 Cancer Disparities Progress Report, highlighting continued differences in cancer outcomes based on factors such as income, geography, disability, insurance coverage, and access to care.
The report also notes that breast cancer screening has played a significant role in reducing breast cancer deaths over time.
What this means for you
If you’re facing barriers to breast health care, ask about:
VBCF can also help connect Virginians with breast health resources.
Primary Sources
POLICY WATCH
Medicare Coverage for Some DCIS Biomarker Tests Remains Under Review
In One Sentence: Medicare may stop covering a test that helps women with DCIS decide whether to undergo radiation treatment.
What happened?
A company contracted by Medicare has advised the agency to stop providing coverage for a test that can “score” someone’s breast cancer to see how likely it is to recur. This is concerning because if Medicare decides to no longer cover the test, then millions of women may have to decide to pay for it out of pocket or risk going without the important information.
Also, if Medicare decides to stop coverage, that may influence private insurance to stop coverage as well. This decision is scheduled to be made by July 17th.
What this means for you
If your healthcare provider recommends genomic testing:
- Verify insurance coverage before testing.
- Ask how the results would affect your treatment decisions.
- Discuss alternatives if coverage is not available.
VBCF will continue monitoring this issue and provide updates as more information becomes available.
Primary Source
- CMS Medicare Coverage Database
- Millions of women may lose Medicare coverage for a breast cancer test hailed by doctor
What We’re Watching
We’ll continue following these developing stories:
- Breast biopsy needle shortage
- Medicare biomarker testing coverage
- Newly approved breast cancer treatments
- Cancer care disparities
- Implementation of Virginia’s breast imaging coverage law
About Breast Cancer News You Can Use
Every month, VBCF reviews breast cancer news from trusted government agencies, peer-reviewed journals, major medical organizations, and established news outlets. We feature the stories most relevant to patients, survivors, caregivers, and advocates and explain what they mean in clear, practical language.
This article is for educational purposes only and should not replace medical advice. If you have questions about your health or treatment, please consult your health care provider.
