Leukemia Risk after Adjuvant Treatment of Early Breast Cancer

Abstract

Modern cancer treatment has substantially increased the survival and curability of patients with various malignancies. Therefore, favorable prognosis mandates for the evaluation of long-term complications of treatment. Since the late 1970s, adjuvant combination chemotherapy for operable breast cancer has come into widespread use. Several recent studies have estimated the risk of acute myeloid leukemia associated with these regimens. The purpose of this analysis is to discuss the risk of leukemia after early breast cancer therapy, the types of leukemia, and the relationship between the risk of leukemia and treatment with different cytotoxic agents (alkylating agents, antimetabolities, topoisomerase II inhibitors, dose-dense therapy, high-dose therapy and growth factor use) and radiotherapy.