Result of neoadjuvant therapy in mammary carcinomas

For 20 years preoperative chemotherapy has been the treatment of choice in inflammatory breast cancer. Adjuvant chemotherapy does not show any advanta ges over neoadjuvant systemic chemotherapy in terms of survival of patients with breast cancer. Reduction of the size of the tumor enables the surgeon to perform more breast-conserving surgery, but the long-term results for b reast tumor to recur in these patients are not yet available. At our hospit al, a tumor larger than 30 mm is an indication for mastectomy. In general, only 20.6 % of all patients are suitable for neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Pati ents with lobular carcinoma or with tumors with an extensive ductal carcino ma in situ part will not benefit from such therapy. Tumor remission followi ng neoadjuvant chemotherapy is of prognostic relevance. The rapid therapeut ic effect of neoadjuvant therapy allows short-term evaluation of this treat ment.