We
were getting response rates of 70%. This is response in terms of
even UICC criteria of a 50% reduction or greater in 70%. We found
none of the patients within that three month period progressed.
So patients either got static disease, partial response or sometimes
even a complete response within three months. So the initial work
with tamoxifen led us to look at some of the more, perhaps, active
agents – the aromatase inhibitors.
And
what impressed us as soon as we started to use the aromatase inhibitors
we seemed to be getting much quicker responses and much greater
responses in terms of percentage reduction in tumor volume and there
are probably reasons for that. If you give tamoxifen, it takes four
to five weeks to build-up adequate levels in the circulation. If
you give an aromatase inhibitor, it works tomorrow. So maybe it’s
just with tamoxifen that if you treat them for three months, you
won’t get three months of effective treatment. With aromatase
inhibitors, you can get quite marked effects with reductions in
tumor volume within four weeks.
Primary
chemotherapy or hormonotherapy for patients with breast cancer.
[Review] Brain EG. Misset JL. Rouess J. Primary chemotherapy or hormonotherapy
for patients with breast cancer. [Review] Cancer Treatment Reviews.
25(4):187-97, 1999.
