674a Prognostic value of steroid receptors after long term follow up of 2257 operable breast cancer patients

• Published in: European journal of cancer (1990) Vol. 31; p. S141
• Main Authors: Pichon, M.P., Broet, P., Magdelenat, H., Delarue, J.C., Spyratos, J., Basuyau, J.P., Saez, S., Rallet, A., Courriere, P., Millon, R., Asselain, B.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 01.11.1995
• ISSN: 0959-8049; 1879-0852
• DOI: 10.1016/0959-8049(95)95923-T

The prognostic value ofestradiol receptor (ER) and progesterone receptor (PR) was estimated by a multicentric study of 2257 operable breast cancer patients without any adjuvant treatment, followed up for a median of 8.5 years. The series included 33.3% stage I, 57.1% stage II, 5.7% stage IIIa and 2.4% stage IIIb. At the endpoint of the study were observed 589/2257 (26.1%) metastases and 673/2257 (29.8%) deaths. Receptors were measured by radioligand assay. Of the tumours, 68.8%, were ER + and 54.0% PR + (≥ 10 fmol/mg cytosol protein). In univariate analysis, ER and PR status 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 after a first metastase was also significantly different between ER + and ER− tumours ( p < 0.001). In multivariate analysis (Cox's proportional hazard model), only the ER status showed a significant difference ( P < 0.01) between + and − groups for DFI, MFI and OS. By using Cox's non-proportional, timedependant models, we show that the predictive value of ER status is decreasing by approximately 20% per year, loosing its significance after 8 years of follow-up. Overall, when compared to the TNM and histological grading, ER and PR status have a small prognostic value, their major interest remaining in the domain of therapeutic decisions.