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Adjuvant Therapy for Breast Cancer pp 103–120Cite as

Preoperative Chemo- and Endocrine Therapy

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Part of the book series: Cancer Treatment and Research ((CTAR,volume 151))

Primary systemic therapy (PST) or preoperative therapy has been part of the multidisciplinary approach to locally advanced and inflammatory breast cancer since the early 1970s. The administration of chemotherapy allowed surgical resection of inoperable tumours and improved clinical outcome [1]. The chance of downsizing the tumour extended its use to operable large breast tumour candidates for mastectomy in order to reduce the extent of surgery. A series of phase II trials reporting an objective response rate ranging from 60 to 90%, showed the feasibility of this approach in terms of significant activity with no detriment to survival [2]. In addition, the early administration of medical treatment appeared an attractive means to improve clinical outcome.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Research Unit of Medical Senology, Department of Medicine, European Institute of Oncology, via Ripamonti 435, 20141, Milan, Italy

    Rosalba Torrisi

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  1. Rosalba Torrisi
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Correspondence to Rosalba Torrisi .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Inselspital, Univ. Bern, Bern, 3010, Switzerland

    Monica Castiglione

  2. Inst. Jules Bordet, Universite Libre Bruxelles, Bd. de Waterloo 125, Bruxelles, 1000, Belgium

    Martine J. Piccart

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Torrisi, R. (2009). Preoperative Chemo- and Endocrine Therapy. In: Castiglione, M., Piccart, M. (eds) Adjuvant Therapy for Breast Cancer. Cancer Treatment and Research, vol 151. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-75115-3_8

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