[Assessment of response to therapy in advanced breast cancer]

In 1979, the protocol guidelines on clinical assessment of response to therapy in advanced breast cancer were proposed by the Chemotherapy Committee and the Endocrine Therapy Committee of the Japan Mammary Cancer Society, in accordance with guidelines presented by the UICC (1977) and by the Breast Cancer Task Force of the NCI (1978). After amending some clauses, these protocol guidelines were finally published in 1982 by the Japan Mammary Cancer Society. A discussion was presented on the consistency of the present guidelines with the criteria for the evaluation of cancer chemotherapy for solid tumors, that was proposed by Koyama-Saito's Committee and was later adopted by the Japan Society for Cancer Therapy. The newly organized committee of the Japan Mammary Cancer Society is now carrying out further work to clarify several questionable points which have arisen in the present protocol guidelines.