Guest edited by Debu Tripathy tripathy@med.usc.edu
University of Southern California, Keck School of Medicine, USC/Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, 1441 Eastlake Avenue, NTT-3429, Los Angeles 90033, CA, USA
This article collection in BMC Medicine aims to highlight the latest progress in breast cancer risk profiling, detection and treatment, as well as the long-term issues faced by those surviving breast cancer. We are seeking submissions of research articles covering all areas of breast cancer medicine, including clinical studies of new therapies, molecular genomics and translational advances. If you have any research you would like us to consider for inclusion in this article collection, please email bmcmedicineeditorial@biomedcentral.com.
"Breast cancer is the most common cancer type in women worldwide, with around 1.5 million new cases diagnosed every year. Despite the high incidence, advances in detection and treatment in recent years mean that more women than ever are surviving breast cancer, with an 89% 5-year survival rate in Western countries. Although men can also be affected, male breast cancer is very rare, accounting for less than 1% of all cancer in men.
Advances in molecular subtyping of breast cancer and the development of targeted therapies have greatly impacted breast cancer survival rates, and many clinical trials are now underway to determine the best therapeutic strategy for those with different types of breast cancer, as well as in the pre- and post-surgical setting. Although breast cancer risk increases greatly with age, around 7% of all cases occur in women under 40, and there are unique issues facing younger women with breast cancer, such as long-term treatment effects and the impact on fertility. As people are living longer with breast cancer, clinicians are increasingly recognizing the impact of disease prognosis and treatment on quality of life, with ongoing efforts aimed at defining the optimal treatment strategy for individual patients."
Forum
Next generation sequencing and tumor mutation profiling: are we ready for routine use in the oncology clinic?
Debu Tripathy, Kathleen Harnden, Kimberly Blackwell, Mark Robson
BMC Medicine 2014, 12:140 (12 August 2014)
Minireview
Strategies to overcome trastuzumab resistance in HER2-overexpressing breast cancers: focus on new data from clinical trials
Pernelle Lavaud, Fabrice Andre
BMC Medicine 2014, 12:132 (12 August 2014)
Question and Answer
Advances in treating HER2-positive breast cancer: an interview with Sunil Verma
Sunil Verma
BMC Medicine 2014, 12:129 (12 August 2014)
Opinion
Do statins increase and Mediterranean diet decrease the risk of breast cancer?
Michel de Lorgeril, Patricia Salen
BMC Medicine 2014, 12:94 (5 June 2014)
Commentary
Helping women to good health: breast cancer, omega-3/omega-6 lipids, and related lifestyle factors
Michel de Lorgeril, Patricia Salen
BMC Medicine 2014, 12:54 (27 March 2014)
Minireview
Molecular determinants of context-dependent progesterone receptor action in breast cancer
Christy R Hagan, Carol A Lange
BMC Medicine 2014, 12:32 (20 February 2014)
Commentary
Understanding breast cancer stem cell heterogeneity: time to move on to a new research paradigm
Ferdinando Mannello
BMC Medicine 2013, 11:169 (23 July 2013)
Minireview
Genetic heterogeneity in breast cancer: the road to personalized medicine?
Richard D Baird, Carlos Caldas
BMC Medicine 2013, 11:151 (21 June 2013)
Question and Answer
Video Q&A: molecular profiling of breast cancer
Carlos Caldas
BMC Medicine 2013, 11:150 (21 June 2013)
Image source: Breast Cancer Revelation: Other Hormone Receptors Could be Targeted for Novel Therapies
