title: Predictors of response to second-line endocrine therapy for breast cancer.
abstract: This study reports on factors predicting response to second-line endocrine therapy in 250 patients with breast cancer for which they were assessable for response by the International Union Against Cancer (UICC) criteria. Clinical details relating to first-line endocrine therapy were available for all patients. We have not included in this study patients who received first-line endocrine therapy but did not or have not yet proceeded to second-line hormone therapy--e.g. died from rapidly progressive disease, started chemotherapy for rapidly progressive disease, or remained in long-term remission on first-line endocrine therapy. One hundred and fifty nine patients (72%) achieved remission (objective response and static disease [OR + SD]) on first-line endocrine therapy with a median duration of 19 months. For second-line endocrine therapy the remission rate was 53% (132/225) with a median duration of 15 months. Tumour grade and oestrogen receptor status of the primary tumour were shown to be independent predictors of response to second-line endocrine therapy while response to first-line endocrine therapy was a predictor of the duration of response to second-line endocrine therapy. In the sub-group of patients who showed OR or SD to both first and second-line therapies, there was no correlation between the time to progression (TTP) on first and second-line therapies.
authors.affiliation: City Hospital, Nottingham, UK.
authors.forename: K L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Cheung
authors.forename: P C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Willsher
authors.forename: S E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Pinder
authors.forename: I O
authors.initials: IO
authors.lastname: Ellis
authors.forename: C W
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Elston
authors.forename: R I
authors.initials: RI
authors.lastname: Nicholson
authors.forename: R W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Blamey
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Robertson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000616:Aminoglutethimide / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000077384:Anastrozole; D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006067:Gonanes / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017273:Goserelin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D019290:Megestrol Acetate / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008875:Middle Aged; D009570:Nitriles / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010052:Ovariectomy; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012074:Remission Induction; D013629:Tamoxifen / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014230:Triazoles / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal; D006067:Gonanes; D009570:Nitriles; D014230:Triazoles; D013629:Tamoxifen; D017273:Goserelin; D000616:Aminoglutethimide; D000077384:Anastrozole; C053238:onapristone; D019290:Megestrol Acetate