Adjuvant therapy in women with axillary node metastases from breast ca
ncer is beneficial, but the role of adjuvant therapy in women with nod
e-negative breast cancer is controversial. By definition, all clinical
ly apparent disease can be removed surgically in patients with early b
reast cancer. Although the majority of patients with early breast canc
er are cured with surgical therapy alone, about 30% of node-negative p
atients eventually will die of their disease. The identification of th
is subgroup of high-risk patients is imperative in order to decrease d
isease recurrence.