Management of advanced breast cancer

Abstract

Metastatic breast cancer (MBC) is usually considered an incurable situation, for which treatments chosen to control the disease, should take into account the maintenance of a good quality of life. The end points of treatment of patients with MBC are influenced by consideration about efficacy and toxicity of the different therapeutic options. The availability of markers predicting response to treatment as well as the discovery of new agents have led to the identification of patients likely to obtain significant advantage from different treatment options. Due to the chronic nature of the MBC, the clinical benefit which encompasses objective response and long stabilization of disease has often become a goal in the metastating setting. © 2007 European Society for Medical Oncology.