Ovarian suppression and breast cancer.

Castration by radiation or oophorectomy may cause regression of tumor metastasis. Patients who will benefit are those whose estrophile protein concentration in breast tissue is high. The use of castration as an early adjunctive method (prophylactic castration) delays the onset of recurrence, although it may take 10 to 15 years to verify these observations. Difficulty in analyzing these data is due to the smallness of the sample, and the frequent use of hormones in control patients. Effective castration may be observed with radiation or surgery. The choice is dependent on the patient's wishes and the need for an immediate effect. Combination therapy with steroids, chemotherapy, or adrenalectomy may potentiate the effect of castration. Premenopausal castration may markedly decrease the incidence of new breast cancers, particularly when followed for 20 or more years.