Clinical trial update: implications and management of residual disease after neoadjuvant therapy for breast cancer
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* Corresponding author: Erica L Mayer emayer@partners.org
1 Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, 44 Binney Street, Boston, MA 02115, USA
2 Lineberger Cancer Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
Breast Cancer Research 2007, 9:110 doi:10.1186/bcr1755
Published: 12 September 2007Abstract
Neoadjuvant chemotherapy for breast cancer has a well-established role in the management of patients with locally advanced or early stage disease. Multiple trials have demonstrated superior survival outcomes in individuals achieving a pathologic complete response at the time of definitive surgery, and sophisticated genetic methods may predict which patients will be in this category. Those with less than a pathologic complete response remain at significant risk of recurrent disease, and currently no further standard therapy exists. Ongoing studies of novel agents may lead to improved therapeutic outcomes for this high-risk population.