Critical review of current treatment strategies for advanced hormone insensitive breast cancer.
Breast cancer is the most common cancer diagnosis in American women. Over the past several decades, there has been a steady increase in the incidence of this disease. Fortunately, the death rates in the last decade has showed a decrease. Patients with breast cancer now have more treatment options and a better chance of long term survival than ever before. Patients with metastatic disease are considered candidates for chemotherapy if they are symptomatic, have rapidly progressing or bulky disease, or if they are inappropriate candidates for hormonal therapy either because of negative hormonal receptor status or progression of disease on hormonal therapies. Patients are often treated with a chemotherapy regimen until progression of disease, or prohibitive toxicity, at which time the therapy is changed to a second or a third line therapy. This manuscript will provide a review of the current treatment strategies for advanced hormone insensitive breast cancer.
Van Poznak
Catherine
C
Breast Cancer Medicine Service, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, 1275 York Avenue, New York, NY 10021, USA. vanpoznc@mskcc.org
Seidman
Andrew D
AD
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000627:therapeutic use; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000145:classification / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D018450:Disease Progression; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D019008:Drug Resistance, Neoplasm; D005260:Female; D006040:Goals; D006801:Humans; D007167:Immunotherapy / Q000379:methods; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D011788:Quality of Life; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000032:analysis; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone / Q000032:analysis; D016879:Salvage Therapy; D000068878:Trastuzumab; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone; D000068878:Trastuzumab