title: The Austrian fulvestrant registry: results from a prospective observation of fulvestrant in postmenopausal patients with metastatic breast cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Endocrine therapy is the preferred treatment in oestrogen- and/or progesterone-receptor (ER/PgR) positive breast cancer. Fulvestrant is a pure ER-antagonist. We present results from the Austrian Fulvestrant Registry.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three-hundred and fifty patients were included. Time to progression (TTP) was defined as primary endpoint. A multivariate analysis was performed to identify factors significantly associated with TTP.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fulvestrant was administered as first-line therapy in 26%, second-line in 49%, and third-line or beyond in 25%. TTP was median 7 months. We observed a response in 15% of patients and 41% had SD > or = 6 months. First-line treatment and non-visceral metastases were associated with longer TTP. One case of pulmonary embolism was reported. Grade 3 toxicities consisted of joint pain (1.4%), nausea (1.4%) and hot flashes (0.3%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Fulvestrant was effective and well tolerated. TTP was superior to other trials, due to the large proportion of first-line patients. Activity is apparently independent of Her2-status.
authors.affiliation: First Department of Medicine and Cancer Centre, Clinical Division of Oncology, Medical University of Vienna, Waehringer Guertel 18-20, Vienna 1090, Austria. rupert.bartsch@meduniwien.ac.at
authors.forename: Rupert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bartsch
authors.forename: Brigitte
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Mlineritsch
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gnant
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Niernberger
authors.forename: Ursula
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Pluschnig
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Greil
authors.forename: Catharina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wenzel
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sevelda
authors.forename: Josef
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Thaler
authors.forename: Margaretha
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rudas
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pober
authors.forename: Christoph C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Zielinski
authors.forename: Guenther G
authors.initials: GG
authors.lastname: Steger
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001317:Austria; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D004958:Estradiol / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D000077267:Fulvestrant; D018734:Genes, erbB-2; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008875:Middle Aged; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000378:metabolism; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone / Q000378:metabolism; D012042:Registries
chemical_list: D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone; D000077267:Fulvestrant; D004958:Estradiol