SUBMIT: Systemic therapy with or without up front surgery of the primary tumor in breast cancer patients with distant metastases at initial presentation

SUBMIT: Systemic therapy with or without up front surgery of the primary tumor in breast cancer patients with distant metastases at initial presentation

BMC Surgery, April 2012

22469291

Jetske Ruiterkamp, Adri C Voogd, Vivianne CG Tjan-Heijnen, Koop Bosscha, Yvette M van der Linden, Emiel JTh Rutgers, Epie Boven, Maurice JC van der Sangen, Miranda F Ernst, In collaboration with Dutch Breast Cancer Trialists' Group (BOOG)

Five percent of all patients with breast cancer have distant metastatic disease at initial presentation. Because metastatic breast cancer is considered to be an incurable disease, it is generally treated with a palliative intent. Recent non-randomized studies have demonstrated that (complete) resection of the primary tumor is associated with a significant improvement of the survival of patients with primary metastatic breast cancer. However, other studies have suggested that the claimed survival benefit by surgery may be caused by selection bias. Therefore, a randomized controlled trial will be performed to assess whether breast surgery in patients with primary distant metastatic breast cancer will improve the prognosis.