Sequential palliative therapy has been employed during 333 courses of therapy for primary inoperable, recrudescent chest wall, regional nodal, and pleural and pulmonary manifestations of mammary cancer. Objective regression occurred following institution of 28% of the courses and stability of previously progressive disease during an additional 19%.
A favorable therapeutic response (regression or stability) occurred in 42% of estrogen-rich patients following oophorectomy. Adrenalectomy was followed by a favorable response in 66% of patients with prior favorable response to oophorectomy. A 57% rate of favorable response occurred with estrogenic steroid administration to estrogen-poor patients. The rate of favorable response to single-agent chemotherapy was disappointing. Fifty percent of patients who responded favorably at some time survived for over 18 months; only 5% of patients who never responded favorably survived for over 18 months.