title: The dilemma of estrogen receptors and the response rate to cytotoxic chemotherapy. A problem of comparability analysis.
abstract: The question of whether estrogen receptor assay predicts for chemotherapy response and, if so, how, is currently controversial. Two papers have recently appeared with widely differing results. Both papers use retrospective analysis and are so heterogeneous as regards assay criteria for positivity, prognostic variable and drugs used that they cannot in truth be meaningfully compared. Resolution of the question will probably have to await prospectively designed trials.
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen