Adjuvant Therapy for Breast Cancer

Adjuvant treatment is administered prior to, or as follow up to, surgical procedures for breast cancer. However, this book offers a unique perspective on the topic; all contributors are female, except for one male breast cancer survivor.

Adjuvant treatment is administered prior to or as follow up to surgical procedures for breast cancer. Proven success in using medical therapies allowing for breast conserving procedures or reducing risk of occurrence. Although there has been much progress towards a cure, including the introduction of new targeted therapies, metastasizing cancer remains highly incurable.

Introduction.- Section 1: Basics. History of Adjuvant Therapy. Prognostic and Predictive Factors. New Perspectives for Therapy Choice. Pathology Role in Adjuvant Setting. Guidelines, Consensus/Conferences and Overviews (Meta-analysis). Statistical Issues and Challenges.- Section 2: Treatments. Multidisciplinary Care: Optimising Team Performance. Preoperative Chemo- and Endocrine Therapy. Adjuvant Chemotherapy. Postoperative Endocrine Therapy for Invasive Breast Cancer. Bisphosphonates.- Section 3: New Wind in the Adjuvant Setting. Trastuzumab. Lapatinib: New Directions in HER2 Directed Therapy for Early Stage Breast Cancer.- Section 4: Special Issues. Supportive Care during Adjuvant Treatment. Dose in (Adjuvant) Chemotherapy of Breast Cancer. Timing of Adjuvant Therapy. Sequencing of Systemic Treatment and Radiotherapy.- Section 5: Special Populations. Young Patients with Breast Cancer. Special Populations: Elderly Patients. Adjuvant Therapy in Patients with Breast Cancer during Pregnancy.- Section 6: After Breast Cancer and Treatment, Sequelae of Adjuvant Treatment, Social Issues. Investigations after Adjuvant Therapy. Quality of Life Issues during Adjuvant Endocrine Therapy. Fertility. Cognitive Function in Breast Cancer Survivors. Costs of Adjuvant Breast Cancer Treatments. Social issues: Marital Support. The View and Role of Breast Cancer Advocacy. The Voice of a Special Patient. Final word.- Index.