International guidelines for management of metastatic breast cancer: combination vs sequential single-agent chemotherapy.

ABSTRACT: Compared with treatment options for early-stage breast cancer, few data exist regarding the optimal use of chemotherapy for metastatic breast cancer (MBC). The choice of using a combination of cytotoxic chemotherapies vs sequential single agents is controversial. At the 6th European Breast Cancer Conference, the European School of Oncology Metastatic Breast Cancer Task Force convened an open debate on the relative benefits of combination vs sequential therapy. Based on the available data, the Task Force recommends sequential monotherapy as the preferred choice in advanced disease, in the absence of rapid clinical progression, life-threatening visceral metastases, or the need for rapid symptom and/or disease control. Patient- and disease-related factors should be used to choose between comb

SUBMITTER: Cardoso F 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2736293 | biostudies-literature | 2009 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature