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(Samaan et al., 1981). These subset inconsistencies and differences in RFS observed in early follow-up tend to disappear in the long-term (Howat et al., 1985;Raemaekers et al., 1985;Saez et al., 1983). This unclear role of ER in predicting RFS impacts on the question of whether overall survival is more favourable in ER+ than ER-tumours because of longer RFS, or longer post-recurrence survival (PRS), or both.The association of ER with PRS has been relatively less scrutinized. In a study based on 137 patients with recurrence, Howell et al. (1984) reported that ER+ patients showed a significantly longer survival after relapse than ER-patients. However, this effect was related to response to endocrine therapy. PRS was the same in ER+ nonresponders (n=19) as ER-nonresponders (n= 18) but both groups had significantly worse PRS than ER + responders (n = 24). Howat et al. (1985) in a relatively small study (n=51) found that PRS was better in ER+ patients and suggested this to be predominantly a result of better response to endocrine therapy given for recurrence.We also found a significant association of higher ER concentration and increased PRS among a subset (n=59) which had received endocrine therapy (Godolphin et al., 1981). The patients of that previous study have now been followed up to ten years. Additional patients whose primary tumours were diagnosed and analysed for ER

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