J. Dalski et M. Gorlich, STEROID-HORMONE LEVELS IN PATIENTS WITH ADVANCED BREAST-CANCER DURINGTHERAPY WITH DROLOXIFENE - A PILOT-STUDY, Tumori, 82(1), 1996, pp. 45-47
Antiestrogens, particularly tamoxifen, are effective in the treatment
of pre- and postmenopausal women suffering from all stages of breast c
ancer. Unfortunately, many patients become resistant to tamoxifen duri
ng therapy, which allows the tumor to progress. Thus, a preclinical re
cognition of tumor progression, i.e. by monitoring serum hormone level
s, could be worthwhile. The serum levels of dehydroepiandrosterone sul
fate and estradiol of postmenopausal women with advanced breast cancer
treated by the new antiestrogen droloxifene were therefore checked. H
owever, only non-significant changes in the hormone levels during drol
oxifene therapy were observed, and no relation was found between hormo
ne levels and the course of the disease, success or exhaustion of drol
oxifene application, or development of tumor progression. Our data do
not confirm earlier findings reported in the literature that measureme
nt of hormones seems to be suitable for an early indication of tumor p
rogression during an antiestrogen therapy before its clinical manifest
ation.