Clinical trials: Their role and contribution in the breast cancer patient’s care pathway

Breast cancer remains the most common diagnosed cancer and also the leading cause of cancer deaths in women. It is a major socioeconomic burden despite substantial advances in screening and treatment. While it is potentially curable when detected at an early stage, it remains incurable in the metastatic setting. Thus, in view of its high prevalence, improved prevention and treatment of metastases remains a major need. In this paper, we review the contributions of clinical research in the treatment of breast cancer in recent years and explore how increased knowledge of the underlying biology of breast cancer has encouraged our efforts to individualize patients’ care.