title: Randomized trial of adjuvant tamoxifen in node negative postmenopausal breast cancer. Stockholm Breast Cancer Study Group.
abstract: The paper presents long-term results of a randomized trial of adjuvant tamoxifen (40 mg daily for 2 or 5 years) versus surgery alone including 1,347 postmenopausal patients with histologically negative axillary nodes and a tumour diameter less than or equal to 30 mm. Data on the estrogen receptor status of the primary tumour were available in 1,136 patients (84%). At a median follow-up of 7 years (range 1.7-13.0 years) there was a significant prolongation of the recurrence-free survival among those allocated to tamoxifen (p less than 0.01), significantly fewer deaths due to breast cancer (p = 0.02) and a trend towards improved overall survival (p = 0.11). The treatment benefit was restricted to patients with ER-positive tumours. There was no significant reduction of breast cancer recurrences in the tamoxifen group among patients whose tumours were classified as ER-negative. The results support and extend previous studies in showing a long-term benefit of tamoxifen in postmenopausal breast cancer patients with node-negative, estrogen receptor positive disease.
authors.affiliation: Radiumhemmet, Karolinska Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: L E
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: Rutqvist
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Cedermark
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Glas
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Johansson
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rotstein
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Skoog
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Somell
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Theve
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Wilking
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Askergren
mesh_terms: D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008593:Menopause; D008875:Middle Aged; D013629:Tamoxifen / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D013629:Tamoxifen