Abstract
ER content of primary tumour tissue has been examined in 704 patients presenting with operable breast cancer. The median follow-up is now 84 months and no patient has received adjuvant therapy of any kind. ER status is related to histological grade, menopausal status, initial site of metastases and subsequent response to endocrine therapy. A significant advantage in terms of survival is found in ER positive patients which is confined to those lymph node positive at mastectomy. DFI is also significantly related to ER status in lymph node positive patients. Survival after the symptomatic presentation of metastases and the institution of endocrine therapy is prolonged in patients with ER positive tumours. The overall response rate to endocrine therapy in assessable patients with ER positive tumours is 32%. By combining the ER status and histological grade of tumour tissue, a group of patients comprising 28% of those assessable to endocrine therapy can be identified (ER positive, grade I and II) with a response rate of 46%.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 24 print issues and online access
$259.00 per year
only $10.79 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Williams, M., Todd, J., Ellis, I. et al. Oestrogen receptors in primary and advanced breast cancer: An eight year review of 704 cases. Br J Cancer 55, 67–73 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1038/bjc.1987.14
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/bjc.1987.14
This article is cited by
-
Analysis of clinicopathological factors associated with bone metastasis in breast cancer
Journal of Huazhong University of Science and Technology [Medical Sciences] (2013)
-
Are estrogen receptor-positive breast cancers in BRCA1 mutation carriers sporadic?
Breast Cancer Research (2010)
-
"Resurrection of clinical efficacy" after resistance to endocrine therapy in metastatic breast cancer
World Journal of Surgical Oncology (2006)
-
Bone metastases from breast carcinoma: histopathological – radiological correlations and prognostic features
British Journal of Cancer (2003)
-
Genes that co-cluster with estrogen receptor alpha in microarray analysis of breast biopsies
The Pharmacogenomics Journal (2001)