We have evaluated 225 patients with Stage II breast cancer, who were t
reated at the Breast Unit of the Department of Surgery, University of
Patras Medical School, Greece, with modified radical mastectomy and su
bsequently either adjuvant chemoendocrine therapy with cyclophosphamid
e, methotrexate, fluorouracil (CMF) plus tamoxifen (Tx) or tamoxifen a
lone. The follow-up time ranged from 72 to 195 months (median 120 mont
hs). 58 patients were pre-menopausal and 167 post-menopausal, The 10-y
ear overall survival (OS) and disease free survival (DFS) rates were b
etter for the pre-menopausal women than for the post-menopausal (86.6%
and 81.1% vs 53% and 52.2% respectively). Of the pre-menopausal patie
nts, those treated with adjuvant chemoendocrine therapy (six cycles of
CMF + 20 mg tamoxifen), achieved higher 10-year OS (P = 0.045) and DF
S (P = 0.050) rates, as compared to those treated with tamoxifen alone
. In the post-menopausal patients, relatively better results were also
achieved (OS 66.9% vs 60.1% and DFS : 57.8% vs 48%), but the differen
ces were not statistically significant. Estrogen and progesterone rece
ptor positive ER (+) and PR (+) post-menopausal patients, treated with
adjuvant tamoxifen, presented fewer local recurrences and distant met
astases (P = 0.06) than those with negative receptors. Axillary node i
nfiltration was of prognostic significance, especially for patients' D
FS (P = 0.001). (C) 1998 Lippincott-Raven Publishers.