The Primary Use of Endocrine Therapies

  • A. Howell
  • E. Anderson
  • R. Blamey
  • R. B. Clarke
  • J. M. Dixon
  • M. Dowsett
  • S. R. D. Johnston
  • W. R. Miller
  • R. Nicholson
  • J. F. R. Robertson
Conference paper
Part of the Recent Results in Cancer Research book series (RECENTCANCER, volume 152)

Abstract

The major objective of nearly all studies of primary endocrine therapy has been to assess whether surgery can be deferred indefinitely without impairing survival, particularly in elderly infirm patients (Preece et al. 1982; Helleberg et al. 1982; Bradbeer and Kyngdon 1983; Allan et al. 1985; Richard 1989; Anderson et al. 1991; Foudraine et al. 1992; Bates et al. 1991; Robertson et al. 1992; Gaskell et al. 1992; Mustacchi et al. 1994; Gazet et al. 1994; van Dalsen and De Vries 1995; Bergman et al. 1995; Ciatto et al. 1996; Dixon et al. 1997). In contrast, the main objectives of primary chemotherapy have been to determine whether tumors can be downstaged in order to increase the possibility of breast conservation surgery, and to ask whether preoperative chemotherapy can improve survival compared with the same treatment given after primary surgery. Primary chemotherapy studies demonstrate high complete (CR) and partial response (PR) rates (CR+PR 60%–100%) and that response is associated with a good prognosis, but in randomised trials overall survival is not improved significantly by chemotherapy (Clemons et al. 1997).

Keywords

Breast Cancer Endocrine Therapy Progesterone Receptor Primary Breast Cancer Preoperative Chemotherapy 
These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.
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Copyright information

© Springer-Verlag Berlin · Heidelberg 1998

Authors and Affiliations

  • A. Howell
    • 1
  • E. Anderson
    • 1
  • R. Blamey
    • 2
  • R. B. Clarke
    • 1
  • J. M. Dixon
    • 3
  • M. Dowsett
    • 4
  • S. R. D. Johnston
    • 4
  • W. R. Miller
    • 3
  • R. Nicholson
    • 5
  • J. F. R. Robertson
    • 2
  1. 1.CRC Department of Medical Oncology and Department of Clinical ResearchChristie Hospital NHS TrustManchesterUK
  2. 2.Department of SurgeryNottingham City HospitalNottinghamUK
  3. 3.Edinburgh Breast Unit and ICRF Med Oncology UnitWestern General HospitalEdinburghUK
  4. 4.Academic Department of BiochemistryRoyal Marsden HospitalLondonUK
  5. 5.Tenovus Institute of Cancer ResearchCardiffUK

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