ObjectiveTo discuss the role of primary tumor resection in breast cancer of stage Ⅳ.MethodsTo search and review retrospective and prospective clinical trials about primary tumor resection in breast cancer of stage Ⅳ in recent years at home and abroad.ResultsThe results of most retrospective clinical trials were that primary tumor resection in breast cancer of stage Ⅳ was beneficial. But there were some obvious bias: younger patients, smaller tumors, non-randomized design, and so on. The results of several prospective studies abroad were inconsistent. In the MF07-01, hazard of death was lower in the surgery group and subgroup analysis showed that the risk of death was lower in the surgery group with respect to positive-hormone receptor, negative-human epidermal growth factor 2, patients younger than 55 years, and patients with solitary bone-only metastases when other prospective studies come to the different conclusions. Several Chinese retrospective studies also had similar results that primary tumor resection was beneficial.ConclusionPrimary tumor resection in breast cancer of stage Ⅳ can benefit some patients, whom need more prospective studies to choose.