Adjuvant systemic therapy for breast cancer: An overview

A recommendation for adjuvant systemic therapy is commonly made to women with a diagnosis of early stage breast cancer. The standard adjuvant therapies include chemotherapy, endocrine therapy, and antibody therapy (i.e., trastuzumab). Data from the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) registries in the United States report a reduction in breast cancer-related mortality of 7.5% since 1973, whereas during the same period, the incidence of invasive breast cancer increased by 25% [1-4]. The improvement in survival for patients with early stage breast cancer coincides with the widespread use of screening mammography and the administration of systemic adjuvant therapy [5-7].