Affiliations: Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA | Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
Correspondence:
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Corresponding author: Eric P. Winer MD, Breast Oncology Center, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, 44 Binney Street, Boston, MA 02115, USA. Tel.: +1 617 632 3800; Fax: +1 617 632 2616; E-mail ewiner@partners.org
Abstract: The benefits of adjuvant chemotherapy for early stage breast cancer must be considered in light of the potential risks and anticipated side effects. When considering a course of adjuvant chemotherapy for a patient, one should not only consider acute side effects of treatment, but should understand the long-term risks of therapy. Sustained or long-term effects of adjuvant chemotherapy usually have either a late onset or a sustained impact – often lasting for many years. In the case of some of the rare long-term complications, many years may elapse before any symptoms develop. This review details sustained and long-term complications of adjuvant chemotherapy including information about risk factors, etiology, and incidence rates for specific complications. Interventions to ameliorate long-term complications are also addressed.
DOI: 10.3233/BD-2004-21108
Journal: Breast Disease, vol. 21, no. 1, pp. 55-64, 2004
