Primary tumor resection may improve prognosis for nonoperable advanced breast cancer

Breast cancer has become a powerful killer worldwide that leads to the most global death among women, especially, the nonoperable stage IV breast cancer attracts lots of attentions for its difficulties of treatment. Recently, accumulating evidences hold a promise that resection of the primary tumor can improve the survival of patients with stage IV breast cancer. In order to explain its possible mechanisms, we took a deep insight into the existing rationales and focus on the crosstalks between them. We proposed that breast stem cell niche plays a significant role in the metastatic facilitation. On one hand, cancer stem cells in the niche can express productions making it more adhesive to the metastatic site. On the other hand, the niche has a positive effect on the cellular quiescence accelerating metastasis. Based on the cancer stem cells niche theory, we hypothesized that resection of the primary tumor may be a new avenue to improve the survival and the quality of life for advanced breast cancer patients.