title: Assesssment of the effect of pretreatment with neoadjuvant therapy on primary breast cancer.
abstract: Patients with invasive cancer of the breast (T1-4, N0-2, M0) were assigned to pretreatment based on oestrogen receptor (ER) status; patients with ER-negative tumours received chemotherapy [mitozantrone, methotrexate and mitomycin C (MMM)] for 3 months, patients with ER-positive tumours underwent endocrine therapy [luteinising hormone releasing hormone (LHRH) agonist goserelin (leuprolide-premenopausal) or 4-hydroxyandrostenedione (formestane-post-menopausal)] for 3 months. Of the first 100 patients assessed at 3 months, 47 with ER-positive tumours had a 40.4% response (premenopausal 53.8%; post-menopausal 35%) and 53 with ER-negative tumours had a 60% response (premenopausal 57%; post-menopausal 63%). Patients with early breast cancer (T1/T2) had a complete clinical resolution in 41% (16/39) of cases after MMM and in 20% (7/35) of cases following endocrine therapy compared with 14% (2/14) advanced tumours (T3/T4) following MMM and (0/12) following endocrine therapy. However, in those patients achieving a complete clinical response, subsequent appropriate surgery showed that 16 of 19 patients (84%) had evidence of residual viable tumour on histological examination.
authors.affiliation: Breast research Unit, St. George's Hospital, London, UK.
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Gazet
authors.forename: R C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Coombes
authors.forename: H T
authors.initials: HT
authors.lastname: Ford
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Griffin
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Corbishley
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Makinde
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lowndes
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Quilliam
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sutcliffe
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000735:Androstenedione / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000601:surgery*; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D017273:Goserelin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008727:Methotrexate / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D008875:Middle Aged; D016685:Mitomycin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D008942:Mitoxantrone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D009376:Neoplasms, Hormone-Dependent / Q000737:chemistry / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000601:surgery*; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; D017273:Goserelin; D000735:Androstenedione; D016685:Mitomycin; D008942:Mitoxantrone; C014594:formestane; D008727:Methotrexate