The department has been engaged in several studies with an epidemiological  and prognostic focus mainly through collaboration within the Danish Breast Cancer Cooperative Group (DBCG). Thus, the Danish low-risk group of patients not receiving adjuvant systemic therapy has been the background for two large studies initiated at our department causing  changes in the national guidelines including recommendation of endocrine treatment to more patients Christiansen et al 2008; Christiansen et al 2011. Most recently, we have contributed substantially to a position paper describing breast cancer screening, diagnosis, and treatment in Denmark Christiansen et al 2014.

Studies in collaboration with Department of Clinical Epidemiology have described the outcome of treatment in the central and north Denmark regions Lietzen et al 2011 and also the relationship between outcome and co-mordity Ording et al 2013. In this collaboration the potentially increased risk of breast cancer among patients treated with antihypertensive drugs was evaluated and not confirmed Sørensen 2013. Most recently, the influence of the immune system and the course of breast cancer have been studied. Contrary to expectations, autoimmune disease and glucocorticoid medications seem not to impair the prognosis Lietzen et al 2014 and Lietzen et al 2015.

Likewise, in collaboration with Department of Medical Endocrinology and Internal Medicine bisphosphonates as a positive prognostic factor was studied Vestergaard et al 2011). Although a beneficial effect was indicated no firm conclusion could be drawn.

In collaboration with Institute of Physiology, AarhusUniversity, we have together with  Department of Histopathology  been engaged in a study of the contribution a specific Na+, HCO3-cotransporter in cellular pH-regulation in the breast cancer cells Boedtkjer et al 2013 and Lee et al 2014.

Recently, attention has been raised concerning patient involvement among breast cancer patients. Therefore, a nurse PhD study has been launched with the aim to develop, test, and evaluate a method to involve patients and relatives directly in the development of differentiated clinical pathways for breast cancer. Data are generated by means of ethnographic field studies, focus groups, and dialogue meetings. The project will generate new knowledge on  how patients and relatives can contribute directly to the development of differentiated pathways for breast cancer.