Author Description

This book provides an overview of the evidence from nearly 100 clinical trials in early breast cancer and presents conclusions that will help all clinicians who treat women with this disease to select the best available therapy. If some widely practicable treatment could produce even a moderate reduction in the risk of death from the disease, 10,000 deaths per year might be avoided. The worldwide collaboration of the EBCTCG demonstrates that this assertion can be turned into reality. The trials reviewed in this first report involve about 40,000 women with an average follow-up of three years. The treatment of early breast cancer with tamoxifen, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and ovarian ablation is investigated and the effect of these therapies on mortality and recurrence is reported. A further self-contained volume reviewing 300 randomized trials with a follow-up of six years will be published early in 1991.