Abstract

AIM: All the related papers and presentations tlıat were performed in Turkey were reviewed. The approach to the locally advanced breast cancer in our country was evaluated. MATERIAL and METHODS: The Turkish Bibliography of Breast Diseases (between 1993-2000) and the abstract foooks of the last three National Congress of Breast Diseases were reviewed. RESULTS: Only 9 series relating primary chemotherapy had been reported in locally advanced breast cancer. The response rate to primary chemotherapy was between 51-99 percent 5 year overall survival rate vas 35, 51, 53 and 59 percent in four published series. Among 15 reported series about surgical treatment of locally advanced breast cancer, there were only 3 series that breast conserving surgery was performed. In these three series, breast conservation rate was 10, 10 and 82 percent in order. CONCLUSION: Mastectomy is the primary therapy in locally advanced breast cancer in Turkey yet. Primary eltemotherapy has been performed only in a few center. So breast conserving surgery has been performed seldomaly.