AGO Recommendations for the Diagnosis and Therapy of Breast Cancer

Abstract

In January 2007, the ‘AGO Kommission Mamma’ for the 5th time updated the ‘AGO Recommendations for the Diagnostic and Therapy of Breast Cancer’ that were established and published for the first time in 2002. The most important statements and modifications are described here. With regard to adjuvant therapy, the definition of the recommended regimens could be established more precisely. The increasing knowledge about the clinical value of sentinel lymph node excision is taken into consideration. For the pathological work-up, the needs and standards of additional markers and prognostic factors were better defined and adjusted to the guidelines of the German pathologists. The routine use of gene arrays for therapy decision is still rejected. Detailed recommendations were established for acute and long-term side effects of therapy. In the chapter ‘specific situations’, CUP (carcinoma of unknown primary) syndrome and phyllodes tumor were included. Taking into account the improved prognosis of breast cancer, specific advice for survivors and information about complementary therapy, hormone therapies, and contraception was prepared in detail. The treatment principles of metastastic disease have not changed substantially, thus pronouncing the significance of guiding therapy by defining the goal and estimating the therapeutic index for each situation.