Estrogen receptors and response to endocrine therapy and cytotoxic chemotherapy in advanced breast cancer.
In a consecutive series of 191 patients with advanced breast cancer, the response rate to endocrine treatment was 46/136 (34%) in estrogen receptor positive (ER+) patients, compared with 5/55 (9%) in estrogen receptor negative (ER-) patients (P < 0.01). In a retrospective analysis of 47 patients, the response rate to cytotoxic chemotherapy was 20/33 (62%) for ER+ tumors and 8/14 (57%) for ER-. It is concluded that ER+ tumors have a significantly higher chance of responding to endocrine therapy than do ER- tumors, but that receptor status is not a determinant of response to cytotoxic chemotherapy.
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000628:therapy*; D002369:Castration; D005260:Female; D006728:Hormones / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D007016:Hypophysectomy; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000378:metabolism*; D012189:Retrospective Studies
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D006728:Hormones; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen