Value of hormone receptors in the management of breast cancer--I. Advanced breast cancer.

A review of 152 women with locally advanced or metastatic breast cancer is presented. Only 32% of unselected women responded to appropriate endocrine therapy; 64% responded if ER was present and 71% if both ER and PR were present. Survival for the endocrine responders was prolonged and of good quality. Chemotherapy, used subsequently as initial treatment in ER negative women, significantly improved response rates but without a survival advantage. However, there was a strong clinical impression that good performance status was maintained until shortly before death. This data suggests therapy given according to hormone receptor status is of value and confirms the validity of our hormone receptor assays as applied to clinical practice.