High-dose chemotherapy in breast cancer--interpretation of the randomized trials

High-dose chemotherapy was widely viewed as an effective treatment modality in breast cancer until the preliminary results of randomized trials proved disappointing. When it transpired that the author of the two unequivocally positive studies had fabricated data, many decided that high-dose chemotherapy in breast cancer was no longer worth studying. In fact, however, the reported results from randomized studies are consistent with a modest progression-free survival advantage of high-dose chemotherapy over conventional dose. Several more years of data maturation and the results of additional randomized trials must be awaited.