Early breast cancer is defined as tumours of not more than 5 cm diameter, with either impalpable or palpable but not fixed lymph nodes and no evidence of distant metastases.
National Breast and Ovarian Cancer Centre’s Clinical practice guidelines for the management of early breast cancer, and associated topic-specific guideline updates, are designed to assist in decision making by women and their doctors.
Clinical practice guidelines
- Clinical practice guidelines for the management of early breast cancer (2nd edition)
Publication date: August 2001
Topic-specific guideline updates
The following topic-specific guideline updates either replace or supplement chapters in the 2001 Clinical practice guidelines for the management of early breast cancer.
- Sentinel node biopsy (GP guide available)
- Chemotherapy
- Hormonal therapies
- Targeted therapies (GP guide available)
- Follow-up (GP guide available)
Sentinel node biopsy (supplement to Chapter 4)
- Recommendations for use of sentinel node biopsy in early (operable) breast cancer
Publication date: June 2008
Endorsed by: the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons, the Faculty of Radiation Oncology of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Radiologists, The Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia and Breast Cancer Network Australia. - The use of sentinel node biopsy in early (operable) breast cancer: a guide for general practitioners
Publication date: February 2009
Other information on this topic
- Evidence review – Sentinel node biopsy for early breast cancer – a systematic review
Publication date: July 2007
Chemotherapy (supplement to Chapter 6)
- Recommendations for use of taxane-containing chemotherapy regimens for the treatment of early (operable) breast cancer
Publication date: June 2008
Endorsed by: The Royal Australasian College of Physicians, Faculty of Radiation Oncology of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Radiologists, The Royal Australasian College of Surgeons.
Other information on this topic
- Evidence review – Taxanes for neoadjuvant treatment of early breast cancer: a systematic review
Publication date: May 2007
Hormonal therapies (supplement to Chapter 6)
- Recommendations for aromatase inhibitors as adjuvant endocrine therapy for post-menopausal women with hormone receptor-positive early breast cancer
Publication date: July 2006
Endorsed by: The Royal Australasian College of Physicians, Faculty of Radiation Oncology of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Radiologists, The Royal Australasian College of Surgeons.
Other information on this topic
- Evidence review – Aromatase inhibitors as adjuvant therapy for post-menopausal women with hormone receptor-positive early breast cancer
Publication date: May 2005
Targeted therapies (supplement to Chapter 6)
- Recommendations for use of trastuzumab (Herceptin®) for the treatment of HER2-positive breast cancer
Publication date: March 2007
Endorsed by: The Royal Australasian College of Physicians, Faculty of Radiation Oncology of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Radiologists, The Royal Australasian College of Surgeons. - Information for general practitioners about the breast cancer drug trastuzumab (Herceptin®)
Publication date: July 2007
Other information on this topic
- Evidence review – Trastuzumab for HER2-positive breast cancer: a systematic review
Publication date: August 2006
Follow-up (supplement to Chapter 7)
- Recommendations for follow-up of women with early breast cancer
Publication date: March 2010
Endorsed by: The Royal Australasian College of Surgeons, the Faculty of Radiation Oncology of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Radiologists, The Royal Australasian College of Physicians, The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners and Breast Cancer Network Australia.
- Follow-up care for women with early breast cancer: a guide for general practitioners
Publication date: March 2010
