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Neoadjuvant chemotherapy for breast carcinoma
Author(s) -
Buchholz Thomas A.,
Hunt Kelly K.,
Whitman Gary J.,
Sahin Aysegul A.,
Hortobagyi Gabriel N.
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
cancer
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.052
H-Index - 304
eISSN - 1097-0142
pISSN - 0008-543X
DOI - 10.1002/cncr.11603
Subject(s) - medicine , breast cancer , chemotherapy , breast carcinoma , radiation therapy , oncology , cancer , surgical oncology , neoadjuvant therapy , carcinoma , disease
BACKGROUND The majority of patients with breast carcinoma receive chemotherapy as a component of multimodality treatment. Over the past decade, it has become increasingly more common to deliver chemotherapy first, but this has raised new questions within all disciplines of cancer management. METHODS The authors reviewed published studies on the effect of neoadjuvant chemotherapy for breast carcinoma on the practice of medical oncology, surgical oncology, radiation oncology, pathology, and radiology. RESULTS Treating breast carcinoma with neoadjuvant chemotherapy has several advantages, such as providing the earliest possible treatment against preexisting micrometastases, offering selected patients breast conservation therapy, and allowing for measurement of disease response, which can then be used to customize subsequent chemotherapy. However, neoadjuvant chemotherapy affects the practice not only of medical oncology, but also has important implications for the specialties of surgery, radiology, pathology, and radiation oncology. The current review addressed the new opportunities and challenges within the multidisciplinary care of breast carcinoma provided by neoadjuvant chemotherapy. CONCLUSIONS The complexity of the issues led the authors to conclude that patients who receive neoadjuvant chemotherapy are likely to benefit from a coordinated multidisciplinary approach to their care. Cancer 2003;98:1150–60. © 2003 American Cancer Society. DOI 10.1002/cncr.11603