Molecular and genetic markers in the local-regional management of breast cancer.

The clinical application of molecular markers in the diagnosis, staging, and management of breast cancer continues to expand. Although the use of molecular markers in local-regional disease does not approach the level of their application in the systemic management of breast cancer, a growing body of rature supports the potential for molecular and genetic factors in clinical decision making regarding the local-regional management of breast cancer. As with conventional clinical and histopathologic factors, data regarding molecular and genetic factors as they relate to local-regional relapse may be conflicting and are subject to the usual limitations of predominantly retrospective studies. There are, however, some consistent data suggesting associations between local-regional control of disease and several molecular markers, including hormone receptor status, HER2/neu, p53, proliferative markers, and others. Interpretation of these data and how to use this information in clinical practice remains challenging. The available rature regarding the use of genetic and molecular markers in the local-regional management of breast cancer is summarized in this review. Copyright 2002, Elsevier Science (USA).