ANTI-ESTROGEN, CYTO-TOXIC CHEMOTHERAPY, AND BACILLUS CALMETTE-GUERIN VACCINATION IN STAGE-II BREAST-CANCER - A PRELIMINARY-REPORT

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  • 1 January 1980
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 87  (5) , 494-501
Abstract
A prospective randomized clinical trial of the following 3 treatment regimens for women with stage II breast cancer is reported: cytoxan, methotrexate, 5-fluorouracil (CMF); CMF plus the antiestrogen drug, tamoxifen (CMFT); CMFT plus BCG vaccinations. All patients underwent mastectomy. Estrogen receptor (ER) analysis was performed. Patients with ER- tumors have recurrences more rapidly and have a higher mortality rate than patients with ER+ tumors (P < 0.0001). In ER+ patients, CMFT treatment is more effective in delaying recurrence than CMF alone at 33 mo. (P = 0.0176). This effect appears to occur in premenopausal and postmenopausal women. In ER- patients the recurrence rate is high; there is no significant difference among the 3 treatment groups. In premenopausal patients treated with CMF alone, ER- patients recur more rapidly than ER+ patients (P = 0.0313). This suggests that the effect of CMF may be related to the suppression of ovarian function. A significant role for the use of antiestrogen therapy in patients with stage II, ER+ breast cancer is demonstrated.