A Review of Local and Systemic Therapy in Breast Cancer

Abstract

In breast cancer, the choice of treatment strategy is based on the features and biology of the tumor as well as on the age, general health status, and personal preferences of the patient. The clinical situations in which molecular tests have the greatest relevance for therapeutic decision-making are still being established; however, evidence is also increasing regarding the breast cancer types in which good predictions of prognosis can be obtained. One of the current challenges in treatment is the selection of the subset of patients who might preferentially benefit from therapy. Optimizing treatment to achieve the best clinical results while minimizing the side effects of treatment is also imperative.