Ineffectiveness of tamoxifen in advanced endometrial carcinoma after failure of progestin treatment
Edmonson, J.H.; Krook, J.E.; Hilton, J.F.; Long, H.J.; Cullinan, S.A.; Everson, L.K.; Malkasian, G.D.
Cancer Treatment Reports 70(8): 1019-1020
1986
ISSN/ISBN: 0361-5960 PMID: 3731147 Document Number: 279664
Between May 1980 and November 1983, 46 eligible patients with advanced, objectively evaluable endometrial carcinoma were treated with tamoxifen, 10 mg twice daily. Twenty-two of the patients had previously received progestational agents. None of the progestin-refractory patients experienced tumor regression on tamoxifen treatment, while five of the 24 previously untreated with progestins did experience tamoxifen-induced tumor regression. Of the five patients previously treated with cytotoxic drugs, only one experienced objective tumor regression on tamoxifen. Although 28 of these 46 patients were completely ambulatory at the beginning of tamoxifen treatment, only 26% were alive 1 year later; median survival for the entire group was only 120 days. Tamoxifen in this dose cannot be recommended routinely as effective secondary treatment for patients with progestin-refractory advanced endometrial carcinoma.