Biology of breast cancer

There are several established prognostic factors for women who have early breast cancer. These include extent of axillary lymph node involvement and tumor size, histology, and steroid receptor studies. Although clinically quite useful, these factors unfortunately are not perfect predictors of individual outcome. This review summarizes recent advances in the field of breast cancer biology that may ultimately enhance our ability to predict more accurately the prognosis for established breast cancer, select therapy more appropriately, and perhaps even identify prospectively women who are at high risk for breast cancer development.