New concepts in breast cancer therapy

摘要: Breast cancer is a common disease in the community. Its incidence increasing but its mortality falling. New therapeutic approaches based on biological understanding of are being investigated to improve outcome. These include areas chemo­prevention and therapy adjuvant advanced settings, some derive from better biology breast cancer. prognostic indicators studied enable chemotherapy be directed towards those most likely benefit. Trastuzumab was first new targeted therapies introduced into routine practice. Several other agents targeting variety receptors cell pathways, such as epidermal growth factor receptor, vascular epithelial factors various intracellular tyrosine kinase mediated under investigation. Increasing attention placed evidence-based supportive care, both for control symptoms hot flushes psychosocial problems anxiety depression. (Intern Med J 2004; 34: 266−269)