Prognostic factors and therapeutic decisions in axillary node-negative breast cancer.

The incidence of node-negative breast cancer is increasing, and it is becoming a more commonly encountered clinical problem. Prognostic factors such as tumor size, histopathological characteristics, receptor status, proliferative markers, biochemical alterations, and gene abnormalities can be useful in assessing the risk of cancer recurrence after primary local therapy. By accurately assessing the risk of recurrence, informed decisions can be made about whether or not to treat with adjuvant systemic therapy.