title: ERICA predicts response to tamoxifen in elderly women with breast cancer.
abstract: Oestrogen receptor status has been determined by an immunocytochemical assay using fine-needle aspiration samples of primary breast cancers in elderly patients. In a prospective study 56 patients were treated with tamoxifen only. Satisfactory assays were achieved in 49 patients. Disease was controlled by tamoxifen in 32 of 35 (91%) patients with oestrogen receptor positive tumours, compared with only 1 (7%) of 14 who were receptor negative. Immunocytochemical assay on fine-needle aspiration samples is relatively non-invasive and simple to perform, it accurately predicts response to tamoxifen in elderly patients and can be used to select patients for tamoxifen only therapy.
authors.affiliation: University Surgical Unit, Southampton General Hospital.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Davies
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Moir
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Carpenter
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cuthbert
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Herbert
authors.forename: G T
authors.initials: GT
authors.lastname: Royle
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Taylor
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000188:drug therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry / Q000379:methods; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000032:analysis*; D013629:Tamoxifen / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; D013629:Tamoxifen