Senological education for cancer specialists

Breast cancer is the first and main problem in oncology regarding women's cancer. In EC countries it represents about 1/4 of all women cancers both in terms of cancer morbidity and cancer mortality. Special education on breast cancer is therefore of substantial importance. The option is also that breast cancer is a typical example of a disease with various therapy possibilities and continuous efforts for further therapeutic results. Breast cancer surgeons, both in cancer hospitals and specialized departments, must have, in addition to classical training in surgery, very good training in all aspects of breast cancer as biological complex. This means that they must get good knowledge of the kinetics, biochemistry and immunology, and the whole pathophysiology of breast cancer as a potentially generalized disease, also in early stages. They also need a very good knowledge and information standard on adjuvant treatments because they are the key persons -in collaboration with medical oncologists- for planning such treatment programs. For medical oncologists and radiotherapists, treatment of breast cancer, both in the adjuvant setting and treatment of the advanced disease, is the most common daily work. They must have very detailed training on all biological and nosological aspects of breast cancer and a very good contact to the actual trials. (author). 3 refs