title: Phase II study of tamoxifen: report of 74 patients with stage IV breast cancer.
abstract: Tamoxifen (NSC-180973), a synthetic antiestrogen, was studied for efficacy and toxicity in patients with metastatic breast adenocarcinoma. Two dose levels were used, 10 mg bid and 15 mg/m2 bid, in separate groups. In the 10-mg bid dosage group, 30 of the 31 patients were considered evaluable for efficacy. Five complete and 11 partial responses were recorded, for an overall response rate of 53%. In the 15-mg/m2 bid dosage group, 44 of the 45 patients were considered evaluable for efficacy. Three complete and 16 partial responses were recorded, for an overall response rate of 43%. All 76 patients were evaluated for toxicity. Side effects were generally mild, consisting mostly of hot flushes, transient leukopenia, transient thrombocytopenia, nausea, and fluid retention. A high degree of correlation between response and positive estrogen-receptor assay suggests the value of the test as a means to select patients for tamoxifen treatment. The conclusion from this study is that tamoxifen used as a single agent is an effective drug with minimal toxicity for treatment of metastatic breast adenocarcinoma.
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy; D008875:Middle Aged; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D013267:Stilbenes / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013629:Tamoxifen / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D013267:Stilbenes; D013629:Tamoxifen