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ATLANTA-A study of more than 400,000 postmenopausal women has found no increased risk of fatal breast cancer with use of estrogen replacement therapy (ERT). In fact, women who reported ever having used estrogen actually had a 16% decreased risk of dying of breast cancer, Dawn Willis, PhD, MPH, reported for the American Cancer Society (ACS) at a general session of the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium.

PALM SPRINGS, Calif--Three major randomized trials comparing the antiestrogens toremifene (Fareston) and tamoxifen (Nolvadex) in patients with advanced breast cancer showed no significant differences in efficacy or side effects profiles, Richard Gams, MD, of Ohio State University, said at the symposium.

NEW YORK-Paclitaxel (Taxol) given as a weekly one-hour infusion has significant activity in metastatic breast cancer and is well tolerated at a dose of 100 mg/m²/wk or less, researchers from Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center reported at a poster session of the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium.

ROME, Italy-The combination of paclitaxel (Taxol), fluorouracil (5-FU), and leucovorin, with G-CSF support, in pretreated patients with advanced breast cancer had a good toxicity profile and an encouraging response rate in a study from the Regina Elena Cancer Institute, Rome.

DUARTE, Calif-Researchers at the City of Hope National Medical Center are in the process of updating their high-dose chemotherapy regimens for high-risk breast cancer patients to include paclitaxel (Taxol), George Somlo, MD, said in a poster presentation at the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium.

SAN ANTONIO--Bisphosphon-ates are indicated in patients with established bone metastases from breast cancer or myeloma, to reduce skeletal complications, Alexander H.G. Paterson, MD, said at a minisymposium held in conjunction with the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium.

BOULOGNE, France-An oral formulation of vinorelbine (Navelbine) demonstrated encouraging antitumor activity and proved to be well tolerated in a phase I study of patients with advanced breast cancer, French physicians reported in a poster presentation.

ST. LOUIS-In a study of 31 breast cancer patients with chronic lymphedema who had failed other treatment methods, 27 showed significant improvement with use of the Reid Sleeve, a custom-designed pattern of soft polymer ridges that apply varying degrees of pressure, Diane Radford, MD, of Washington University, said in a poster presentation.

SAN ANTONIO-Although paclitaxel (Taxol) is still being evaluated as a single agent in advanced breast cancer, to determine optimal dosing and schedule, it is also being studied for use in combination with other cytotoxic agents, as adjuvant therapy in early-stage disease, and as part of high-dose chemotherapy regimens used with stem cell transplant.

The National Cancer Act of 1971 was established when then President Nixon declared the "war on cancer." Since that time, no magic bullet has been discovered, and it is apparent that we have not been victors in the war against the nation's second leading killer. Overall cancer rates have continued to rise, with only a slight decrease in mortality from breast and other cancers. Nevertheless, remarkable progress has been made in the cure of childhood cancers, Hodgkin's disease, and testicular cancer.[1,2]

Tamoxifen is currently the endocrine therapy of choice for early and advanced breast cancer. Attempts to improve the therapeutic efficacy have included altering the triphenylethylene ring structure of tamoxifen, forming

In 1977, tamoxifen, a nonsteroidal antiestrogen, was approved in the United States for the management of advanced breast cancer in postmenopausal women. Since that time, tamoxifen's therapeutic role has grown to

Tamoxifen is currently the endocrine treatment of choice for all stages of breast cancer and is the gold standard for antiestrogen treatment. Over the last 25 years, the drug has revolutionized breast cancer therapy. The extension of the use of this agent has occurred because of open dialogue between the laboratory and the clinic, in which laboratory findings led to extension of clinical use. Tamoxifen was originally discovered as part of a contraceptive research program at ICI Pharmaceuticals (now Zeneca). On the basis of the estrogen dependence of many breast cancers, tamoxifen, a potent antiestrogen, was predicted to have anticancer activity. Laboratory and animal studies demonstrated efficacy in breast cancer and an ability to block binding of estradiol to the estrogen receptor of human breast cancer. Preclinical studies showed the benefit of long-term vs short-term tamoxifen treatment, a finding duplicated in the clinic. [ONCOLOGY 11(Suppl 1):7-13, 1997]