Low-dose aminoglutethimide without steroid replacement in the treatment of postmenopausal women with advanced breast cancer.

Fifty-seven patients with actively progressing advanced breast cancer have been assessed for their response to low-dose aminoglutethimide (125 mg bd) without steroid replacement. Eleven women (19%) had an objective response while a further eight had stabilization of disease. However, one patient died with apparent adrenal insufficiency and another developed low plasma cortisol and serum sodium. Furthermore, 4/17 patients who had failed to respond to low-dose A/G subsequently responded when changed to conventional-dose A/G + steroid replacement, while three patients had stabilization of previously progressing disease. These results indicate that low-dose A/G without steroid replacement is potentially hazardous and that low-dose and conventional-dose A/G + steroids do not produce identical results.