Relevance of cell kinetics to hormonal response of receptor-positive advanced breast cancer.
The relationship between cell kinetics and hormonal status and the relevance of the cell kinetic variable on success of hormone-therapy in estrogen receptor positive (ER+) breast tumors were analyzed in patients with advanced disease. Cell kinetics were evaluated as in vitro 3H-thymidine labeling index (LI), and estrogen receptor (ER) and progesterone receptor (PgR) with the dextran-coated charcoal technique. The analyses performed on primary tumor or soft tissue metastases from 52 patients showed a general association between the presence of hormone receptors and low proliferative activity, or the absence of receptors and high proliferative activity (ER and L.I.: p greater than 0.05; PgR and L.I.: p = 0.05). However, hormonal status and cell kinetic status were unrelated in about 40% of the cases. Clinical response to additive hormonotherapy was analyzed in relation to pretreatment LI in 29 patients with ER+ tumors. Time to reach maximum response was significantly longer in slow than in fast proliferating tumors, but complete remission was reached in 88% of slow proliferating tumors compared to only 46% of fast proliferating tumors. These preliminary results show that ER+ fast proliferating tumors largely escape hormonal control, and if confirmed on larger series, could identify cell kinetics as an important tool to select patients who will benefit from hormonal treatment.
Paradiso
A
A
Department of Medical Oncology, Oncologic Institute, Bari, Italy.
Lorusso
V
V
Tommasi
S
S
Schittulli
F
F
Maiello
E
E
De Lena
M
M
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy; D002455:Cell Division; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000378:metabolism*; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone / Q000378:metabolism*; D013629:Tamoxifen / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone; D013629:Tamoxifen