The Double-Edged Sword: Controversies in Anthracycline-Based Chemotherapy for Breast Cancer

Purpose of Review: This review article seeks to summarize the existent literature regarding the use of anthracyclines (specifically doxorubicin) in the treatment of early-stage breast cancers, reviewing the clinically significant side effects of said therapy, and discussing new tools to risk stratify patients. Recent Findings: The 2010 Early Breast Cancer Trialists’ Cooperative Group meta-analysis again found anthracycline-containing regimens to improve outcomes, while the ABC Trials have shown the superiority of regimens including doxorubicin versus regimens with docetaxel and cyclophosphamide alone in early-stage breast cancer. New risk stratification tools—such as Oncotype DX®—are helping oncologists decide which patients may be able to avoid chemotherapy. Summary: Sequential doxorubicin/cyclophosphamide therapy, followed by treatment with docetaxel, improves outcomes in nearly all early-stage breast cancer, with the notable exception of Her2+ disease. Newer risk stratification tools allow better risk/reward calculations in which patients may be able to avoid anthracycline-based chemotherapy and its significant side effects.