Locally advanced breast cancer: early results of a randomised trial of multimodal therapy versus initial hormone therapy.
The aim of this study was to investigate initial treatment of locally advanced breast cancer. Patients were randomised to "multimodal" therapy (pre-operative chemotherapy, Patey mastectomy, flap irradiation and adjuvant hormone therapy) (n = 55), or initial "hormone" therapy (n = 53) with further therapy upon tumour progression. The objective response to chemotherapy was 57% (31/54) after four cycles. Of patients on hormone therapy, 36% (19/53) had an objective response and 32% (17/53) disease stasis at a 6 month assessment. At a median 30 months follow-up, there was no notable difference in development of metastases or survival: only 6 patients have uncontrolled loco-regional relapse (4 "hormonal", 2 "multimodal"). The number of treatments per patient required for this loco-regional control was lower in the "hormone" group (mean 2.13 versus 4.20 in the "multimodal" group). This small study has shown that the use of consecutive therapies, with the aim of tumour control, does not appear to compromise outcome in comparison with initial "multi-modal" therapy. Adopting such a policy may allow some patients to avoid unnecessary treatments.
Willsher
P C
PC
Department of Surgery, City Hospital, Nottingham, U.K.
Robertson
J F
JF
Chan
S Y
SY
Jackson
L
L
Blamey
R W
RW
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000032:analysis; D015996:Survival Rate; D013629:Tamoxifen / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; D013629:Tamoxifen