Prognostic value of steroid receptors after long-term follow-up of 2257 operable breast cancers (original) (raw)

British Journal of Cancer volume 73, pages 1545–1551 (1996)Cite this article

Abstract

The prognostic value of oestrogen receptor (ER) and progesterone receptor (PR) was estimated through a multicentric study of 2257 operable breast cancer patients followed up for a median of 8.5 years. None of the patients had received adjuvant therapy. The series included 33.3% stage I patients, 57.1% stage II, 5.7% stage IIIa and 2.4% stage IIIb. At the end point of the study 589 metastases and 537 deaths from cancer were recorded. Receptor measurements were performed by radiolgand assay according to a uniform protocol. A total of 68.8% of the tumous were ER positive and 54.0% PR positive ( > or = 10 fmol mg-1 cytosol protein). In univariate analysis, ER and PR status (positive/negative) were of prognostic value (P < 0.001) for the disease-free interval (DFI), the metastases-free interval (MFI) and the overall survival (OS). The OS of the patients after a first metastasis was also significantly different between ER-positive and -negative tumours (P < 0.001). In multivariate analysis (Cox proportional hazard model, 1665 patients), only the ER status showed a significant difference (P < 0.01) between positive and negative groups regarding the DFI, MFI and OS. By using Cox non-proportional, time-dependent models, we show that the predictive value of ER status of the primary tumour decreases by approximately 20% per year, losing its significance after 8 years of follow-up. Overall, when compared with TNM and histological grading, ER and PR status have a low prognostic value, their major interest remaining solely in the domain of therapeutic decision.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Groupe de Biopathologie Tissulaire et Moléculaire, Fédération des Centres de Lutte contre le Cancer, Paris, France
    MF Pichon

Authors

  1. MF Pichon
  2. P Broet
  3. H Magdelenat
  4. JC Delarue
  5. F Spyratos
  6. JP Basuyau
  7. S Saez
  8. A Rallet
  9. P Courriere
  10. R Millon
  11. B Asselain

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Pichon, M., Broet, P., Magdelenat, H. et al. Prognostic value of steroid receptors after long-term follow-up of 2257 operable breast cancers.Br J Cancer 73, 1545–1551 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1038/bjc.1996.291

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