Oral 4-hydroxyandrostenedione, a new endocrine treatment for disseminated breast cancer.
Thirty-one post-menopausal female patients, with locally advanced or disseminated breast cancer were treated with the aromatase inhibitor 4-hydroxyandrostenedione given orally at a dose of 500 mg daily. Twenty-nine patients had assessable disease. Eight patients (28%) had objective evidence of partial response and six remain in remission 7-10 months later. A further four patients (14%) had stabilisation of disease and 11 patients (37%) had progressive disease in spite of treatment. Plasma oestradiol levels were measured throughout therapy in 16 patients and were lowered to 53% +/- 8% of baseline levels within 7 days of commencing 4-hydroxyandrostenedione. With regard to toxicity, one patient developed a transient skin rash and another patient some facial swelling. A further patient developed a transient leucopaenia and treatment was therefore discontinued. Twenty-seven of the 30 evaluable patients (90%) experienced no side effects. These results indicate that oral administration of 4-hydroxyandrostenedione is an acceptable new treatment for post-menopausal women with disseminated breast cancer.
Cunningham
D
D
Medical Oncology Unit, St. George's Hospital, London, UK.
Powles
T J
TJ
Dowsett
M
M
Hutchison
G
G
Brodie
A M
AM
Ford
H T
HT
Gazet
J C
JC
Coombes
R C
RC
D000284:Administration, Oral; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000735:Androstenedione / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000097:blood; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004958:Estradiol / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008593:Menopause; D008875:Middle Aged; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D010052:Ovariectomy
D000735:Androstenedione; D004958:Estradiol; C014594:formestane