[Neoadjuvant treatment and breast conserving surgery - a success of clinical research in breast cancer].

Breast cancer is, with more than 5200 newly diagnosed cases, the most frequent malignancy of women in Austria. Screening programs have helped to improve early detection and breast conservation, also clinical trials have made possible some decisive progress in breast cancer treatment. For women affected it is of utmost importance that we meanwhile can offer breast-conserving surgery also for large tumors without risking more local recurrences. The trials of the ABCSG, particularly those dealing with neoadjuvant therapy, were instrumental in this development.