Changing strategies in the treatment of hormone-dependent breast cancer.
Hormone Receptor concept provides better prediction of hormone dependency of breast cancer and therefore proper selection of therapy. The fate of receptors following hormonal manipulation is not clearly understood. It is suggested that in a hormone-dependent breast cancer, the cessation of response to one form of hormonal therapy is not an indication of emergence of hormone independence of the cancer. Contrary to the present belief, the author suggests that the hormone-dependent tumors retain their biological and biochemical characteristics in the recurrent tumor and therefore will respond to other forms of endocrine therapy. The presence of extraglandular synthesis of estrogen is considered as a major reason for the relapse of a regressing breast cancer following endocrine manipulation. A hypothesis is advanced for test in a clinical trial.
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Department of Breast Surgery, Roswell Park Memorial Institute, Buffalo, NY 14263.
D000328:Adult; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009376:Neoplasms, Hormone-Dependent / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy; D011379:Prognosis; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000502:physiology*; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000502:physiology; D012008:Recurrence
D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen