Review: Breast cancer

Abstract

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women worldwide, and 70–80 per cent of patients with the advanced, non-metastatic disease will be cured. With new treatments, advanced breast cancer with remote organ metastases is found untreatable. Breast cancer is a heterogeneous disease at the molecular level, with activation of the human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 activations of hormone receptors (oestrogen receptor and progesterone receptor), (HER2, encoded by ERBB2), and/or BRCA mutations being the most common molecular characteristics. Treatment options vary depending on the molecular subtype. Breast cancer treatment is multidisciplinary, encompassing both locoregional (surgery and radiation therapy) and systematic approaches. Endocrine treatment for hormone receptor-positive illness,  anti-HER2 therapy for HER2-positive disease, chemotherapy,  poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibitors for BRCA mutation carriers, bone stabilizing agents, and, most recently, immunotherapy are all examples of systemic therapies. Individualization of care, as well as patient de-escalation and escalation focused on tumor pathology and early therapy response, are among the goals of future clinical concepts of breast cancer.