Breast cancer is the commonest cancer among women.
In 1996, it caused 5300 deaths in Canada. There is considerable variation in the way in which breast cancer is diagnosed and treated across the country. Women and caregivers taking part in the National Forum on Breast Cancer held in Montreal in November 1993 identified a need for national guidelines for the care and treatment of this disease. They are based on the more technical version entitled Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Care and Treatment of Breast Cancer that have been compiled for physicians. Both versions contain the same basic information.