Report of Advanced Breast Cancer Second International Consensus Conference

The Advanced Breast Cancer Second International Consensus Conference (ABC2) was held on 7th-9th November 2013. The current consensus guidelines for the management of locally advanced and metastatic breast cancer was developed. In patients with locally advanced breast cancer therapy begins with a systemic treatment, followed by surgery (generally radical mastectomy) with adjuvant radiotherapy, even in patients who achieved a complete pathological response. Adjuvant hormonal therapy is used in patients with hormone-dependent breast cancer. The validity of the early assessment of effectiveness of therapy was highlighted. Evaluation of response is recommended after two courses of chemotherapy and further treatment should be guided depending on the response. The role of anti-HER2 targeted therapy in patients with HER2-positive locally advanced breast cancer was emphasized. Benefits of systemic treatment in patients with liver metastasis before metastasectomy, with pleural effusion before and after thoracocentesis and pleurodesis, with brain metastasis after local treatment and with locoregional recurrence after surgery were stressed.