THERAPEUTIC EFFECT OF TAMOXIFEN VERSUS TAMOXIFEN COMBINED WITH MEDROXYPROGESTERONE ACETATE IN ADVANCED BREAST-CANCER IN POST-MENOPAUSAL WOMEN

Abstract

Postmenopausal patients, those < 68 yr of age resistant to chemotherapy and those < 68 yr of age with or without resistance to chemotherapy, entered this trial. Among 101 eligible patients, 46 were randomized to treatment with tamoxifen at a dose of 10 mg 3 times daily and 55 were randomized to treatment with tamoxifen at a dose of 10 mg 3 times daily plus medroxyprogesterone acetate at a dose of 100 mg/day. Remission (partial plus complete) was obtained in 20 patients (45%) with tamoxifen compared to 14 patients (26%) with tamoxifen plus medroxyprogesterone acetate; this difference is not significantly different. The median duration of remission was also not significantly different between the 2 treatments: 10 mo. for the single drug compared with 9 mo. for the combined treatment. Response rates correlated with the presence of estrogen receptor, with no differences between the 2 treatment groups. Side effects occurred in 12 patients and in only 1 patient did they cause discontinuation of treatment. Combined treatment with tamoxifen and medroxyprogesterone acetate is not better than treatment with tamoxifen alone.