The Role of Surgery for Stage IV Breast Cancer

Abstract

Surgery for the management metastatic breast cancer has traditionally been considered a palliative procedure. However, some retrospective publications indicated that there may be a survival benefit to surgery in the presence of metastatic disease. Recent randomized trials will be reviewed for both management of the intact primary tumor in de novo breast cancer and systemic secondary metastases.

Keywords: Brain metastases; Breast cancer subtypes; Liver metastases; Lung metastases; Metastatic breast cancer; Palliative surgery; Surgery; Surgery with curative intent.