[Medical, non-endocrine treatment of metastatic breast cancer--a status]

This review discusses the indications and purposes of treatment for metastatic breast cancer with chemotherapy and monoclonal antibody against the erbB-2 receptor(trastuzumab). There is no curative treatment for this condition, but first line chemotherapy with anthracyclines or taxanes improves the overall survival and offers palliation of disease-related symptoms. For patients with HER-2 positive tumour the combination of chemotherapy and trastuzumab can increase the response rates and survival. Palliation of symptoms is also achievable with second line chemotherapy. For patients with symptoms and good performance status, third line treatment should be considered, but there are no standard recommendations.