Dear Colleagues,

The earliest records of breast cancer date back to ancient Egypt 3000–2500 years b.c. It was described as an incurable condition with a bulging appearance of the female breast. In addition to early descriptions of breast cancer and the progressive stages by Hippocrates, the radical removal of the tumor tissue has been mentioned numerous times in historical records.

To date, it is the second most common malignancy overall and by far the most common malignancy among women worldwide. The incidence rates of breast cancer are still increasing, with breast cancer being the third most common cause of death for women. The definitive etiology of breast cancer is still not fully understood. Significant risk factors include family disposition, high age, nulliparity, oral contraceptives, hormone replacement therapy or dense breast tissue.

Breast-conserving procedures with subsequent radiotherapy and various forms of mastectomy with or without radio-chemotherapy are available treatment options for breast cancer patients. The size and localization of the tumor, definite classification of the breast cancer entity, size of the breast and the patient's wishes play important roles in the decision-making process. Despite all treatment efforts, 8–10% of patients develop a locoregional recurrence, and distant metastasis occurs in up to 30%. Yet, increasing survival rates in breast cancer patients due to improved treatment algorithms have also brought considerations regarding quality of life and the cosmetic outcomes of breast cancer survivors into the focus of current research.

This Special Issue intends to include the full range of breast cancer therapy, covering a wide range of topics incorporating basic research and clinical studies. It offers a platform to share ideas and new advances regarding surgical breast cancer treatment, pharmaceutical therapies, radiotherapy and breast reconstruction. Additionally, we encourage authors to present epidemiologic and quality of life studies to obtain a comprehensive coverage of the management of breast cancer.

Dr. Yannick F. Diehm
Dr. Jurij Kiefer
Prof. Dr. Dimitra Kotsougiani-Fischer
Guest Editors

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• breast cancer
• oncologic surgery
• multimodal cancer therapy
• breast reconstruction
• irradiation
• chemotherapy
• quality of life