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Lani · 04-23-2006, 11:20 PM

found this:
Local therapy benefits stage IV breast cancer
OB/GYN News, May 15, 2005 by Patrice Wendling
ATLANTA -- Contrary to conventional belief, results of a new study suggest that surgical removal of the primary tumor can benefit women with stage IV breast cancer.

Although overall survival was unchanged at 5 years, there was a better progression-free survival for women who underwent local therapy of the primary tumor when initially presenting with metastatic disease, Roshni S. Rao, M.D., reported at a symposium sponsored by the Society of Surgical Oncology.

"This is important, because any time you can slow down the progression of the disease, it potentially gives other therapies a better chance at working." Dr. Rao told this newspaper. "It's entirely possible that as medical therapy improves, the metastatic progression-free survival seen in these patients will translate into a survival benefit."

The study joins a growing body of evidence that challenges traditional beliefs by suggesting that aggressive local therapy may prolong survival, said Dr. Rao, a breast-surgery fellow at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston.

04-23-2006, 11:20 PM	#8
Lani Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 4,783	haven't found second article again yet but... found this: Local therapy benefits stage IV breast cancer OB/GYN News, May 15, 2005 by Patrice Wendling ATLANTA -- Contrary to conventional belief, results of a new study suggest that surgical removal of the primary tumor can benefit women with stage IV breast cancer. Although overall survival was unchanged at 5 years, there was a better progression-free survival for women who underwent local therapy of the primary tumor when initially presenting with metastatic disease, Roshni S. Rao, M.D., reported at a symposium sponsored by the Society of Surgical Oncology. "This is important, because any time you can slow down the progression of the disease, it potentially gives other therapies a better chance at working." Dr. Rao told this newspaper. "It's entirely possible that as medical therapy improves, the metastatic progression-free survival seen in these patients will translate into a survival benefit." The study joins a growing body of evidence that challenges traditional beliefs by suggesting that aggressive local therapy may prolong survival, said Dr. Rao, a breast-surgery fellow at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston.