Adjuvant chemotherapy of breast cancer--the Consensus Development Conference revisited

The 1985 Consensus Development Conference on Adjuvant Chemotherapy of Breast Cancer recommended that combination chemotherapy be considered standard therapy for premenopausal, node-positive patients and tamoxifen standard treatment for postmenopausal, node-positive, receptor-positive patients. These recommendations have been further strengthened by data analysis in the intervening two and a half years. However, the optimal adjuvant therapy for any subset of patients has not been established and appropriately remains under investigation. Likewise, the risk-benefit ratio of systemic adjuvant therapy in postmenopausal, node-positive, receptor-negative patients and in node-negative patients (regardless of menopausal status) remains a subject with discordant data and interpretations.