Dose Intensity

This book is devoted to the controversial topic of dose intensity for breast cancer. Over the past 15 years, there have been dozens of phase I and II clinical trials, motivated by preclinical evidence suggesting a potential therapeutic role for doses of chemotherapy sufficiently myelotoxic as to require the reinfusion of hematopoietic stem cells. Unfortunately, there is a paucity of data from prospective, randomized clinical trials to inform us adequately as to the role of this strategic approach to breast cancer treatment, whether for early stage or advanced disease. The objective of this special edition is to provide a timely and thorough overview of where we are in our understanding of the potential for and limitations of high dose chemotherapy for breast cancer, where we are headed, and perhaps, how we will get there.