[Breast carcinoma: state of the art]

Diagnosis and therapy of breast cancer are briefly reviewed for the general internist. He should know what triple diagnosis, breast-conserving surgery, radiotherapy and adjuvant systemic therapy involve. He should know when to perform a screening mammography, what follow-up examinations after breast cancer are indicated and what dangers loom in metastatic breast cancer. He should know of new therapeutic avenues such as bisphosphonates, new aromatase inhibitors, taxanes, and high-dose chemotherapy with stem cell support. Since advances in the treatment of breast cancer have been achieved mostly through randomized studies, a positive attitude toward such studies and a willingness to take part in them are desirable.