Adjuvant Therapy of Primary Breast Cancer Bruno Osterwalder, Richard D. Gelber, Aron Goldhirsch, Hans-Jörg Senn. Cet article n’est pas disponible.Adjuvant Therapy of Primary Breast Cancer Bruno Osterwalder, Richard D. Gelber, Aron Goldhirsch, Hans-Jörg Senn

The ultimate "consumer" of the data presented at conferences on the primary treatment of operable breast cancer is the patient, and when, as in this disease, the benefits of therapy are relatively mod- est, the availability and interpretation of the data from trials be- comes an issue of primary importance. The effects of present treat- ment are in fact such that more patients relapse despite therapy than are estimated to benefit from it. It is, therefore, extremely dif- ficult for the physician to recommend unequivocally one particular adjuvant treatment modality for the vast population of women with breast cancer. The interpretation of results from clinical research-oriented pro- grams is constantly applied, however, in the treatment of breast cancer patients outside of clinical trials. From presented or publish- ed data, many physicians extrapolate indications for the use of a given treatment regimen for their patients, perceiving it as the "best available therapy. " It is essential that the "best available therapy" be selected individually for each patient. However, considering the modest effect of treatment upon outcome, it is imperative that those who provide the data - those who are involved in both pa- tient care and clinical research - make it known that the best cur- rent treatment for the population of breast cancer patients is avail- able within the framework of clinical trials. In this way not only present-day patients but also future ones will derive the greatest benefit.

The struggle to improve long-term disease-free survival and to reduce mortality in patients with operable breast cancer remains one of the most intriguing yet controversial issues in clinical oncology world-wide. This volume summarizes the most recent medium- to long-term results of clinical trials in adjuvant chemo-, hormono- and radiotherapy in Europe and North America which were extensively presented at the 3rd International Conference on Adjuvant Therapy of Primary Breast Cancer in March 1988 in St. Gallen, Switzerland. It is an unique and helpful source of information about this critical, interdisciplinary approach and covers theoretical, preclinical issues, therapeutic strategies and clinical up-to-date trial results as well as remaining medical, statistical and psychosocial problems. This volume is a must for every physician and scientist concerned with improving life expectancy and quality of patients with potentially curable breast cancer. It covers all major therapeutic advances of the last 4 - 5 years in this field and can be considered an update of the guidelines of the last NIH Consensus Conference in 1985.