title: Norethisterone acetate in the treatment of advanced breast cancer.
abstract: One hundred and twenty-five patients with progressive advanced carcinoma of the breast were treated with norethisterone acetate 20 mg tds orally after prior hormonal treatment or chemotherapy. Ninety-nine patients are evaluable for response. Sixteen patients (16%) achieved a partial response (median duration 4.5 months), 26 (26%) had stable disease (median duration 3 months) and 57 (58%) developed progressive disease on treatment. Patients who responded to norethisterone acetate had more often responded to prior hormonal or ablative treatment (56% vs 25%) and had received less prior treatment than those who did not respond (p less than 0.05). There was no statistically significant correlation between response and age, menopausal status, disease-free interval, stage at diagnosis, or distribution of disease. Side effects led to cessation of therapy in nine patients (9%).
mesh_terms: D001859:Bone Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000556:secondary; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007016:Hypophysectomy; D008875:Middle Aged; D009640:Norethindrone / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000077563:Norethindrone Acetate; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000032:analysis; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone / Q000032:analysis; D012189:Retrospective Studies
chemical_list: D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone; D000077563:Norethindrone Acetate; D009640:Norethindrone