AGO Breast Committee recommendations for the surgical therapy of breast cancer: Working Group on Gynecologic Cancers (AGO) update 2026

Maggie Banys-Paluchowski; Christine Solbach; Thorsten Kühn; Volkmar Müller; Nina Ditsch; Tanja Fehm; Ute‐Susann Albert; Rupert Bartsch; Ingo Bauerfeind; Jens-Uwe Blohmer; Wilfried Budach; Peter Dall; Eva Maria Fallenberg; Peter A. Fasching; Michael Friedrich; Oleg Gluz; Nadia Harbeck; Andreas Hartkopf; Jörg Heil; Juliane Hörner‐Rieber; Jens Huober; Wolfgang Janni; Hans Heinrich Kreipe; David Krug; Sherko Kümmel; Sibylle Loibl; Diana Lüftner; Michael Patrick Lux; Nicolai Maass; Marion Tina van Mackelenbergh; Christoph Mundhenke; Tjoung‐Won Park‐Simon; Mattea Reinisch; Kerstin Rhiem; Achim Rody; Marcus Schmidt; Andreas Schneeweiss; Florian Schütz; Hans-Peter Sinn; Erich‐Franz Solomayer; Elmar Stickeler; Michael Untch; Isabell Witzel; Achim Wöckel; Rachel Wuerstlein; Toralf Reimer; Vesna Bjelic-Radisic; Marc Thill

doi:10.1016/j.ejso.2026.111867

AGO Breast Committee recommendations for the surgical therapy of breast cancer: Working Group on Gynecologic Cancers (AGO) update 2026

European Journal of Surgical Oncology 2026 Open access

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Authors: Maggie Banys-Paluchowski, Christine Solbach, Thorsten Kühn, Volkmar Müller, Nina Ditsch, Tanja Fehm, Ute‐Susann Albert, Rupert Bartsch, Ingo Bauerfeind, Jens-Uwe Blohmer, Wilfried Budach, Peter Dall

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Eva Maria Fallenberg, Peter A. Fasching, Michael Friedrich, Oleg Gluz, Nadia Harbeck, Andreas Hartkopf, Jörg Heil, Juliane Hörner‐Rieber, Jens Huober, Wolfgang Janni, Hans Heinrich Kreipe, David Krug, Sherko Kümmel, Sibylle Loibl, Diana Lüftner, Michael Patrick Lux, Nicolai Maass, Marion Tina van Mackelenbergh, Christoph Mundhenke, Tjoung‐Won Park‐Simon, Mattea Reinisch, Kerstin Rhiem, Achim Rody, Marcus Schmidt, Andreas Schneeweiss, Florian Schütz, Hans-Peter Sinn, Erich‐Franz Solomayer, Elmar Stickeler, Michael Untch, Isabell Witzel, Achim Wöckel, Rachel Wuerstlein, Toralf Reimer, Vesna Bjelic-Radisic, Marc Thill

DOI: 10.1016/j.ejso.2026.111867

Cited by: 1

References: 99

Abstract

The German Guideline Committee (AGO: Working Group on Gynecologic Cancers) updated its yearly recommendations on the diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer in March 2026. Chapters on oncological and oncoplastic-reconstructive surgery are coordinated with the Working Group for Plastic, Aesthetic, and Reconstructive Surgery in Gynecology (AWOgyn). The most important changes include the ommission of sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) and preffered axillary staging in patients with node-positive breast cancer undergoing neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT). Targeted axillary dissection (TAD) is endorsed as the method of choice [AGO ++] in patients converting from cN + to ycN0 status, and other de-escalated techniques (SLNB, target lymph node biopsy [TLNB]) are also possible options [AGO +]. Following NACT, ALND is indicated only when macrometastatic disease is detected in the sentinel and/or in the target lymph node.

Fields of Study & Subjects

Breast Cancer Treatment Studies Breast Lesions and Carcinomas Advanced Breast Cancer Therapies

Publication details

Journal / source: European Journal of Surgical Oncology
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Volume: 52
Issue: 7
Pages: 111867–111867
Publication date: 6 May 2026
Language: EN

References 99