Management of locally advanced breast cancer

Multimodality therapy--i.e., surgical excision followed by appropriate systemic therapy and radiotherapy--has an established role in managing patients with locally advanced breast cancer (LABC). Preoperative chemotherapy permits optimal local control with less radical surgical intervention, although...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inOncology (Williston Park, N.Y.) Vol. 11; no. 9 Suppl 9; p. 9
Main Authors Perez, E A, Foo, M L, Fulmer, J T
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published United States 01.09.1997
Subjects
Antineoplastic Agents - therapeutic use
Breast Neoplasms - drug therapy
Breast Neoplasms - radiotherapy
Breast Neoplasms - surgery
Breast Neoplasms - therapy
Chemotherapy, Adjuvant
Combined Modality Therapy
Female
Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation
Humans
Preoperative Care
Prognosis
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Summary:Multimodality therapy--i.e., surgical excision followed by appropriate systemic therapy and radiotherapy--has an established role in managing patients with locally advanced breast cancer (LABC). Preoperative chemotherapy permits optimal local control with less radical surgical intervention, although its impact on overall survival is still unclear. Definitive data are not yet available to determine the optimal sequencing of surgery and radiation therapy. Therefore, treatment should continue to be individualized. New cytotoxic agents with demonstrated activity against metastatic breast cancer (e.g., the taxanes) are being studied to determine their role in women with LABC. Preliminary data from a recently completed, small randomized trial in patients with LABC did not demonstrate a significant improvement in overall survival with high-dose chemotherapy plus stem-cell rescue, as compared with standard-dose therapy. The evaluation of biologic parameters that may predict response and survival, and of radiographic and pathologic methods to assess response, should ultimately lead to significant improvements in the management and survival of patients with locally advanced breast cancer.
ISSN:0890-9091