Seminal Articles—Breast Cancer

Based on our expert's review, here are the must-read articles for every oncologist about breast cancer.

Gene Expression Profile

1. Paik S, T Gong, Shak S, et al. Gene Expression and Benefit of Chemotherapy in Women With Node-Negative, Estrogen Receptor–Positive Breast Cancer. J Clin Oncol. August 10, 2006; 24(23):3726-3734.

2. Albain KS, Barlow WE, Shak S, et al. Prognostic and predictive value of the 21-gene recurrence score assay in postmenopausal women with node-positive, oestrogen-receptor-positive breast cancer on chemotherapy: a retrospective analysis of a randomised trial. Lancet Oncol. January 2010; 11(1):55-65. Elsevier, Free

Prevention/DCIS

3. Wapnir IL, Dignam JJ, Fisher B, et al. Long-Term Outcomes of Invasive Ipsilateral Breast Tumor Recurrences After Lumpectomy in NSABP B-17 and B-24 Randomized Clinical Trials for DCIS. J Natl Cancer Inst. Published on-line March 11, 2011. Free

4. Goss PE, Ingle JN, Alés-Martínez JE, et al. Exemestane for Breast-Cancer Prevention in Postmenopausal Women. N Engl J Med. June 23, 2011; 364(25):2381-2391. Free

Local Therapy

5. Hughes KS, Schnaper LA, Berry D, et al. Lumpectomy plus Tamoxifen with or without Irradiation in Women 70 Years of Age or Older with Early Breast Cancer. N Engl J Med. September 2, 2004; 351:971-977. Free

6. Giuliano AE, Hunt KK, Ballman KV, et al. Axillary dissection vs no axillary dissection in women with invasive breast cancer and sentinel node metastasis: a randomized clinical trial. JAMA. 2011; 305(6):569-575.

Locally Advanced Breast Cancer/Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy

7. Fisher B, Brown A, Mamounas E, et al. Effect of preoperative chemotherapy on local-regional disease in women with operable breast cancer: Findings from National Surgical Adjuvant Breast and Bowel Project B-18. J Clin Oncol. July 1, 1997; 15(7):2483-2493.

8. Bear HD, Anderson S, Brown A, et al. The effect on tumor response of adding sequential preoperative docetaxel to preoperative doxorubicin and cyclophosphamide: Preliminary results from national surgical adjuvant breast and bowel project protocol B-27. J Clin Oncol. November, 2003; 21(22):4165-4174.

Chemotherapy: Adjuvant

9. Bonadonna G, Valaqussa P, Moliterni A, et al. Adjuvant, Cyclophosphamide, Methotrexate and Fluorouracil in node positive breast cancer: The Results of 20 Years of Follow-up. N Engl J Med. April 6, 1995; 332(14):901-906. Free

10. Citron ML, Berry DA, Cirrincione C, et al. Randomized Trial of Dose-Dense Versus Conventionally Scheduled and Sequential Versus Concurrent Combination Chemotherapy as Postoperative Adjuvant Treatment of Node-Positive Primary Breast Cancer: First Report of Intergroup Trial C9741/Cancer and Leukemia Group B Trial 9741. J Clin Oncol. April 15, 2003; 21(8):1431-1439.

11. Henderson IC, Berry DA, Demetri GD, et al. Improved Outcomes From Adding Sequential Paclitaxel but Not From Escalating Doxorubicin Dose in an Adjuvant Chemotherapy Regimen for Patients With Node-Positive Primary Breast Cancer. J Clin Oncol. March 15, 2003; 21(6):976-83.

12. Early Breast Cancer Trialists’ Collaborative Group (EBCTCG). Effects of chemotherapy and hormonal therapy for early breast cancer on recurrence and 15-year survival: an overview of the randomized trials. Lancet. May 14, 2005; 365(9472):1687-1717. Elsevier

13. Jones SE, Savin MA, Holmes FA, et al. Phase III Trial Comparing Doxorubicin Plus Cyclophosphamide With Docetaxel Plus Cyclophosphamide As Adjuvant Therapy for Operable Breast Cancer. J Clin Oncol. December 1, 2006; 24(34)5381-5387.

14. Sparano JA, Wang M, Martino S, et al. Weekly paclitaxel in the adjuvant treatment of breast cancer. N Engl J Med. April 17, 2008; 358(16):1663-1671. Free

15. Muss HB, Berry DA, Cirrincione C, et al. Adjuvant chemotherapy in older women with early-stage breast cancer. N Engl J Med. May 14, 2009; 360(20):2055-2065. Free

HER2-Positive Disease: Adjuvant

16. Romond EH, Perez EA, Bryant J, et al. Trastuzumab plus adjuvant chemotherapy for operable HER2-positive breast cancer. N Engl J Med. October 20, 2005; 353(16):1673-1684. Free

17. Piccart-Gebhart MJ, Procter M, Leyland-Jones B, et al. Trastuzumab after adjuvant chemotherapy in HER2-positive breast cancer. N Engl J Med. October 20, 2005; 353(16):1659-1672. Free

Hormone Therapy: Adjuvant

18. Baum M, Budzar AU, Cuzick J, et al. Anastrozole alone or in combination with tamoxifen versus tamoxifen alone for adjuvant treatment of postmenopausal women with early breast cancer: first results of the ATAC randomised trial. Lancet. July 22, 2002; 59(9324):2131-2139. Elsevier

19. Coombes RC, Hall E, Gibson LJ, et al. A randomized trial of exemestane after two to three years of tamoxifen therapy in postmenopausal women with primary breast cancer. N Engl J Med. March 11, 2004; 50(11):1081-1092. Free

20. Breast International Group (BIG) I-98 Collaborative Group: Thurlimann B, Keshaviah A, Coates AS, et al. A comparison of letrozole and tamoxifen in postmenopausal women with early breast cancer. N Engl J Med. December 29, 2005; 353(26):2747-2757. Free

21. Goss PE, Ingle JN, Martino S, et al. Randomized trial of letrozole following tamoxifen as extended adjuvant therapy in receptor-positive breast cancer: updated findings from NCIC CTG MA.17. J Natl Cancer Inst. September 7, 2005; 97(17):1262-1271. Free

22. Early Breast Cancer Trialists' Collaborative Group (EBCTCG): Davies C, Godwin J, Gray R, et al. (EBCTCG). Relevance of breast cancer hormone receptors and other factors to the efficacy of adjuvant tamoxifen: patient-level meta-analysis of randomised trials. Lancet. August 27, 2011; 378(9793):771-784. Elsevier, Free

Chemotherapy: Metastatic Disease

23. O’Shaughnessy J, Miles D, Vukelja S, et al. Superior survival with capecitabine plus docetaxel combination therapy in anthracycline-pretreated patients with advanced breast cancer: phase III trial results. J Clin Oncol. June 15, 2002; 20(12):2812-2823.

24. Sledge GW, Neuberg D, Bernardo P, et al. Phase III trial of doxorubicin, paclitaxel, and the combination of doxorubicin and paclitaxel as front-line chemotherapy for metastatic breast cancer: an intergroup trial (E1193). J Clin Oncol. February 15, 2003; 21(4):588-592.

25. Gradishar WJ, Tjulandin S , Davidson N , et al. Phase III trial of nanoparticle albumin-bound paclitaxel compared with polyethylated castor oil based paclitaxel in women with breast cancer. J Clin Oncol. November 1, 2005; 23(31):7794-7803.

26. Cortes J, O’Shaughnessy J, Loesch D, et al. Eribulin monotherapy versus treatment of physician's choice in patients with metastatic breast cancer (EMBRACE): a phase 3 open-label randomised study. Lancet. March 12, 2011; 377(9769):914-923. Elsevier

27. Seidman AD, Berry D, Cirrincione C, et al. Randomized phase III trial of weekly compared with every-3-weeks paclitaxel for metastatic breast cancer, with trastuzumab for all HER-2 overexpressors and random assignment to trastuzumab or not in HER-2 nonoverexpressors: final results of Cancer and Leukemia Group B protocol 9840. J Clin Oncol. April 1, 2008; 26(10):1642-1649.

28. Albain KS, Nag SM, Calderillo-Ruiz G, et al. Gemcitabine plus Paclitaxel versus Paclitaxel monotherapy in patients with metastatic breast cancer and prior anthracycline treatment. J Clin Oncol. August 20, 2008; 26(24):3950-3957.

Hormone Therapy: Metastatic Disease

29. Chia S, Gradishar WJ, Mauriac L, et al. Double-blind, randomized placebo controlled trial of fulvestrant compared with exemestane after prior nonsteroidal aromatase inhibitor therapy in postmenopausal women with hormone receptor-positive, advanced breast cancer: results from EFECT. J Clin Oncol. April 1, 2008; 26(10):1664-1670.

HER2-Positive Disease: Metastatic Disease

30. Slamon DJ, Leyland-Jones B, Shak S, et al. Use of chemotherapy plus a monoclonal antibody against HER2 for metastatic breast cancer that overexpresses HER2. N Engl J Med. March 15, 2001; 344(11):783-792. Free

31. Geyer CE, Forster J, Lindquist D, et al. Lapatinib plus capecitabine for HER2-positive advanced breast cancer. N Engl J Med. December 28, 2006; 355(26):2733-2743. Free

32. Blackwell KL, Burstein HJ, Storniolo AM, et al. Randomized study of Lapatinib alone or in combination with trastuzumab in women with ErbB2-positive, trastuzumab-refractory metastatic breast cancer. J Clin Oncol. March 1, 2010; 28(7):1124-1130.

HER2-Negative: Bevacizumab: Metastatic Disease

33. Miller K, Wang M, Gralow J, et al. Paclitaxel plus bevacizumab versus paclitaxel alone for metastatic breast cancer. N Engl J Med. December 27, 2007; 357(26):2666-2676. Free

34. Miles DW, Chan A, Dirix LY, et al. Phase III study of bevacizumab plus docetaxel compared with placebo plus docetaxel for the first-line treatment of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative metastatic breast cancer. J Clin Oncol. July 10, 2010; 28(20):3239-3247.