Antihormone treatment of stage IV breast cancer

Andrea Manni, Jaime E. Trujillo, James S. Marshall, Jerald Brodkey, Olof H. Pearson

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

102 Scopus citations

Abstract

The antiestrogen Tamoxifen (T), given orally to 113 patients with stage IV breast cancer, induced objective remission in 50%. Duration of remission in the first 39 patients, with minimum 27 months follow up, is 18+ months; these results are equal to those of surgical hypophysectomy. T prolonged survival in responders. Older age, previous response to endocrine therapy and positive estrogen receptors predicted response to T. T was effective in hypophysectomized patients in whom serum growth hormone and prolactin were undetectable, but serum estrogens were present in low amount, suggesting a direct stimulatory effect of estrogens at the tumor level. Hypophysectomy induced further palliation after treatment with T, indicating that pituitary hormones may also play a role in the growth of some human breast cancers. Side effects from T were minimal. T is the initial treatment of choice for postmenopausal women with hormone responsive stage IV breast cancer. Cancer 43:444–450, 1979.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)444-450
Number of pages7
JournalCancer
Volume43
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - Feb 1979

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Oncology
  • Cancer Research

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