Current status of adjuvant systemic therapy for primary breast cancer: progress and controversy

Results from studies of adjuvant systemic therapy for primary breast cancer accumulated over the past 20 years have clearly established that this treatment approach improves disease-free and overall survival rates in high-risk patients. As a result, adjuvant systemic therapy has become an integral component of the modern, multimodality approach to management of primary breast cancer. However, controversies about the most effective approaches remain, and research continues. This article reviews the current status of adjuvant systemic therapy for primary breast cancer and discusses areas of persistent controversy.