Current status of high dose chemotherapy in breast cancer.

To date, no definite answers are available to the initial question, whether or not HDCT and ASCT can improve quantity or quality of life. Completing the available prospective, randomized phase III studies; using HDCT earlier in the course of treatment; applying drugs that are active breast cancer; comparing the experimental treatment to standard therapy; and using appropriate sample size to detect clinically meaningful and statistically significant differences are all paramount requirements to answer the question successfully. Within the next few years, a number of European [13] and two Canadian Studies [6, 14] that are currently accruing patients, will contribute versus important information regarding the role of HDCT and ABMT for breast cancer.