Survivorship and complications of treatment in breast cancer.

The majority of women treated today for breast cancer are long-term survivors. The overall benefits of adjuvant therapy in women with breast cancer favor treatment even in the subset of patients with node-negative invasive breast cancer. The short- and long-term side effects of combined modality treatment have a significant impact on morbidity and quality of life. Continued emphasis on improving survival, decreasing recurrence, and minimizing treatment toxicity are the goals of ongoing breast cancer research.