Tumor Type

This will completely depend on the type of tumor. Some of the more aggressive cancers actually respond best to chemotherapy as neoadjuvant treatment, while some of the less aggressive tumors may respond better to anti-estrogen therapy (tamoxifen or an aromatase inhibitor). Tumors that over-express Her2/neu will often respond best to a combination of chemotherapy and herceptin. Newer molecular profiling tests that are done on the breast cancer (MammaPrint and Oncotype Dx) can give us some very helpful information regarding the aggressiveness of a cancer as well as the potential for response to different therapies. Each case is really individualized, and we are now more than ever better able to tailor a particular regimen to a patient's individual cancer for the best results. This will completely depend on the type of tumor. Some of the more aggressive cancers actually respond best to chemotherapy as neoadjuvant treatment, while some of the less aggressive tumors may respond better to anti-estrogen therapy (tamoxifen or an aromatase inhibitor). Tumors that over-express Her2/neu will often respond best to a combination of chemotherapy and herceptin. Newer molecular profiling tests that are done on the breast cancer (MammaPrint and Oncotype Dx) can give us some very helpful information regarding the aggressiveness of a cancer as well as the potential for response to different therapies. Each case is really individualized, and we are now more than ever better able to tailor a particular regimen to a patient's individual cancer for the best results.