One-Step systemic staging for patients with breast cancer

Abstract

Despite advances in the treatment of primary breast cancer, metastatic spread of the disease remains a substantial clinical burden. Nearly 30% of breast cancer patients already have tumour spread to regional lymph nodes at diagnosis, and 5% will have metastases at presentation [1]. The prevalence of metastatic disease has increased along with the duration of survival, with some 20% of patients developing metastases during the course of the disease [2].