Hormonal therapy of breast cancer: new approaches and concepts.

The most useful new hormonal therapy against estrogen receptor-containing metastatic breast cancer is the development of antiestrogenic agents such as nafoxidine and tamoxifen. Both of these drugs possess antitumor activity comparable to that of other additive hormonal agents, and they are better tolerated for lack of any serious toxicity. The clinical usefulness of antiprolactin drugs in breast cancer is at present limited. Adrenal suppression using aminoglutethimide has been shown to induce useful remissions. We discuss the implications of new treatment modalities for the future management of disseminated breast cancer.