J Breast Cancer.  2012 Sep;15(3):288-295. 10.4048/jbc.2012.15.3.288.

Survival Benefit of Tamoxifen in Estrogen Receptor-Negative and Progesterone Receptor-Positive Low Grade Breast Cancer Patients

• Yang LH
• Tseng HS
• Lin C
• Chen LS
• Chen ST
• Kuo SJ
• Chen DR

• KMID: 2286454
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4048/jbc.2012.15.3.288

Abstract

PURPOSE
This study aimed to analyze the efficacy and prognostic significance of adjuvant tamoxifen in breast cancer patients with various hormone receptor statuses.
METHODS
Typically, 1,260 female breast cancer patients were recruited in this study. The correlation between estrogen receptor (ER)/progesterone receptor (PR) phenotypes and clinical characteristics was investigated, and the survival rate was assessed after 5-year follow-up.
RESULTS
The 5-year overall survival (85%) was better in women under the age of 50 years. Patients with ER+/PR+ tumors had a better 5-year survival rate (94%); those with ER-/PR- tumors experienced the worst outcome (74% survival rate); whereas single-positive cases were in between. In 97 out of 128 patients with ER-/PR+ tumors, tamoxifen was given as adjuvant hormonal therapy, and it increased the survival benefit in the lower grade group in terms of overall survival and disease-free survival (p=0.01 and p=0.03, respectively).
CONCLUSION
For high-grade tumors with ER-/PR+, adjuvant tamoxifen therapy may have no survival benefit, whereas for the patients with low-grade ER-/PR+ tumors, adjuvant tamoxifen therapy is highly suggestive.

Keyword

Breast carcinoma; Estrogen receptor; Progesterone receptor; Tamoxifen

MeSH Terms

Breast
Breast Neoplasms
Disease-Free Survival
Estrogens
Female
Humans
Phenotype
Progesterone
Receptors, Progesterone
Survival Rate
Tamoxifen
Estrogens
Progesterone
Receptors, Progesterone
Tamoxifen

Figure

• 

  Figure 1 The 5-year survival rate. (A) Overall survival was determined by age. Overall survival (B) and disease-free survival (C) according to estrogen receptor (ER) and progesterone receptor (PR) status.

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  Figure 2 Effects of estrogen receptor (ER) and progesterone receptor (PR) status on overall survival in patients with low-grade (A) or high-grade (B) breast tumors. Disease-free survival in patients with low-grade (C) or high-grade (D) breast tumors according to ER and PR status. HT=hormone therapy.

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