In the study, although the level of information did not affect the quality of life, satisfaction with the information was associated with a better quality of life. The finding stresses the importance of a sensible disclosure of diagnosis and prognosis.

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Forty-six evaluable postmenopausal patients with locally advanced, inoperable T3-T4 breast carcinoma were treated with tamoxifen 10-20 mg twice daily for a period at least 6 weeks. Eight patients (17%) had an objective response at the primary tumor site after 6 weeks of treatment. Improvement of response with a further single tamoxifen therapy was observed in 7 patients, resulting in an overall objective response in 14 of 46 (30%). Median duration of response was 8 months (range 2-24). No response was obtained in the 5 patients with inflammatory signs. Toxicity of treatment was minimal. Medial survival was 10 months (responders 17.5, non-responders 9). Tamoxifen seems to be safe and effective treatment for locally advanced breast cancer without inflammatory signs in postmenopausal women.

Concentrations of tamoxifen and its metabolites were analysed in the endometrium of 23 post-menopausal asymptomatic breast cancer patients who were on chronic tamoxifen therapy. Small endometrial samples were collected during diagnostic hysteroscopy. Analysis of both serum and tissue for these compounds was performed by mass spectrometry. Tamoxifen and its metabolites were far more concentrated in the endometrium than in serum; tamoxifen was also significantly more concentrated in endometrium with hyperplastic changes than in atrophic endometrium. Endometrial polyps of an additional 9 women showed a trend to a lesser concentration of compounds. Increased concentration of tamoxifen compounds could possibly be explained by the avidity of these compounds for oestrogen receptors (ER).

No abstract