The Relation between Estrogen Receptors and Response Rate to Cytotoxic Chemotherapy in Metastatic Breast Cancer

Abstract

In a retrospective study we determined the relation between estrogen receptors and the response rate to cytotoxic chemotherapy in 70 patients with metastatic breast cancer. Thirty-four of 45 patients with low or absent estrogen-receptor values (10 fmol per milligram of cytoplasmic protein) responded (P<0.0001). There were no statistically significant differences between the two groups in age, menopausal status, disease-free interval, Karnofsky index or prior therapy. Differences in sites of involvement or type of chemotherapy did not account for the increased response rate in receptor-negative patients. We conclude that estrogen-receptor values are an important predictor of response to cytotoxic chemotherapy in metastatic breast cancer. (N Engl J Med 298:1223–1228, 1978)