The effect of sex hormones on advanced carcinoma of the breast

Androgen Therapy in 70 Cases of Advanced Mammary Carcinoma

“…of fluid were aspirated from the left pleural cavity with some relief, and during the next two months rapid absorption of the remaining fluid and resolution of the lung deposits took place (Case 25, Appendix). A similar case in which relief of dyspnoea, absorption of effusion and resolution of parenchymal deposits followed removal of both ovaries has been described (Jochweds, Baranowicz and Horecki, 1948), and resolution of parenchymal deposits in a woman of 70 years has been (lescribed by Taylor, Slaughter, Smejkal, Fowler and Preston (1948).…”

“…This may have been the precipitating cause in 5 of 24 cases reported by Taylor, Slaughter, Smejkal, Fowler and Preston (1948), in which congestive cardiac failure followed androgen therapy.…”

“…Taylor, Slaughter, Smejkal, Fowler and Preston (1948) refer to the onset of tachycardia, tremor and congestive cardiac failure in their report on hormone therapy. In the present series only one case (Case 16) showed any evidence of an adverse effect on the heart, and as already suggested, this was in all probability only a secondary effect due to rapid weight gain.…”

“…The last-named authors thought that one-third of selected patients with osseous metastases might be expected to improve, and they do not recommend the treatment for other groups. However, relief of respiratory symptoms and regression of pulmonary deposits have been reported nmany times (Adair, Treves, Farrow and Schnagel, 1945;Jochweds, Baranowicz and Horecki, 1948;Dresser, 1936;Hunt, 1940;Taylor, Slaughter, Smejkal, Fowler and Preston, 1948).…”

Breast cancer management: The road to today

“…One of the first articles regarding breast cancer published in Cancer was a review of the effect of sex hormones on advanced carcinoma of the breast. 15 At that time, available evidence was largely in the form of case studies and small series. There was some reported success in patients treated with androgen therapy, ovarian ablation, and the estrogenic compounds diethyl stilbestrol and ethinyl estradiol.…”