Summary
Seventy-eight advanced breast cancer patients, most of whom had had prior treatment, were treated with the synthetic antiestogen tamoxifen. The overall objective response rate was 27% (21/78). An additional 19% (15/78) showed disease stabilization. Sixty-seven percent (14/21) of the responses were in soft tissue sites, 24% (5/21) on bony sites and one each occurred in liver and nodular lung disease. Forty percent of patients with soft-tissue disease alone responded, while 10% of patients with visceral disease showed responses in visceral sites. The response rate was 28% among patients with a known positive estrogen receptor (ER) assay. It was 21% among patients who had previously received cytotoxic drugs. Toxicity was mild and was seen in nausea and vomiting, hot flushes and vaginal bleeding, and occasional myelosuppression. One patient was withdrawn from the study because of a rash. In two patients the disease flared, once with concomitant hypercalcemia. Tamoxifen is a useful agent for advanced breast cancer even in some patients with visceral disease.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
References
Bloom, H. J. G., Boesen, E.: Anti-oestrogens in treatment of breast cancer: Value of nafoxidine in 52 advanced cases. Br. Med. J. 1974 2, 7–10
Cole, M. P., Jones, C. T. A., Todd, I. D. H.: A new anti-oestrogenic agent in late breast cancer. An early clinical appraisal of ICI 46474. Br. J. Cancer 25, 270–275 (1971)
Heuson, J. C.: Current overview of EORTC clinical trials with tamoxifen. Cancer Tret. Rep. 60, 1463–1466 (1976)
Jungi, F., Wagenknecht, L.: Tamoxifen alone or combined with multiple-drug chemotherapy in disseminated breast carcinoma. (Abstract). Proc. Am. Soc. Clin. Oncol. 18, 312 (1977)
Kiang, D. T., Kennedy, B. J.: Tamoxifen (ICI 464-474) therapy in advanced breast cancer. (Abstract) Proc. Am. Soc. Clin. Oncol. 18, 301 (1977)
Lerner, H. J., Band, P. R., Israel, L., et l.: Phase II study of tamoxifen: Report of 74 patients with stage IV breast cancer. Cancer Treat. Rep. 60, 1431–1435 (1976)
Morgan, L. R., Schein, P. S., Woolley, P. V., et al.: Therapeutic use of tamoxifen in advanced breast cancer: Correlation with biochemical parameters. Cancer Treat. Rep. 60, 1437–1443 (1976)
Tormey, D. C., Simon, R. M., Lippman, M. E., et al.: Evaluation of tamoxifen dose in advanced breast cancer: A progress report. Cancer Treat. Rep. 60, 1451–1459 (1976)
Viladiu, P., Bosch, F. X., Benito, E., Alonso, M. D.: Antiestrogen tamoxifen in the treatment of advanced breast cancer. A series of 31 patients. Cancer Treat. Rep. 61, 899–900 (1977)
Ward, H. W. C.: Anti-oestrogen therapy for breast cancer: A trial of tamoxifen at two dose levels. Br. Med. J. 1974 1, 13–14
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Wiggans, R.G., Woolley, P.V., Smythe, T. et al. Phase-II trial of tamoxifen in advanced breast cancer. Cancer Chemother. Pharmacol. 3, 45–48 (1979). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00254419
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00254419