Breast cancer--from clinic to laboratory.

Breast cancer remains the most common cancer in women in the western world despite many years of intensive study. This update reviews some current research and its application to the management of patients with breast carcinoma. Specific topics include implementation of oestrogen-receptor immunohistochemistry in laboratories, the use of established and potential prognostic markers to predict clinical outcome and response to treatment, the Breast Screening Programme, and the current management of patients at different stages of the disease.