THE EFFECT OF TESTOSTERONE PROPIONATE ON METASTASES TO BONE FROM CARCINOMA OF THE BREAST

Abstract

THE effect of sex hormones on advanced female breast cancer has been studied by Adair (1, 2), Farrow (3, 4), Nathanson (5–9), Haddow (10) and others (11–20) and has been the subject of two group studies, one conducted by the Royal Society of Medicine (21, 22) and the other, still in progress, by the Therapeutic Trials Committee of the Council on Pharmacy and Chemistry of the American Medical Association (23). We have participated in the latter of these two studies and our observations on 70 patients have previously been reported (19). Among 50 female patients with advanced breast cancer, to whom we have given androgens, there were 17 with metastases to bone who received large doses of testosterone propionate. All of these patients were markedly masculinized. Twelve of the patients are now dead. Because of the striking palliation afforded some of these patients, the group is of special interest and forms the basis of the present report.