A half century of breast cancer: one life's experience.

Over the past 50 years, great changes had occurred in the circumstances surrounding breast cancer, including clinical presentation, treatment, and outcome. Not only are patients being seen at lower stages, but over the past ten years there finally has been a drop in the mortality rate from the almost flat line from 1940 to 1990. The author has been involved personally in this half century of change, both as a participant and as an observer.