First, do no harm: risk of secondary cancer after breast cancer treatment.

Abstract

Breast cancer is the most common malignancy in women worldwide, and the majority of women will survive a diagnosis of early stage disease. As our understanding of the biological subtypes of breast cancer has expanded, treatments for breast cancer have become increasingly tailored, balancing treatment sensitivity, benefits, and individual patient preferences. For this common cancer with substantial long-term survival, health-care providers must weigh therapeutic benefits against short-term and long-term risks.