[Hormone treatment of metastasizing breast carcinoma]

The hormone-dependence of breast cancer is recalled in a review of 448 metastasies cases observed between 1958 and 1978. It is shown that the percentage of positive response to hormone therapy is related to the type of treatment, menstrual age, metastasis site, and above all to the presence or absence of receptors for oestradiol, progesterone, and prolactin in the tumour tissue. The fact that hormone dependence can be evaluated via the search for such receptors means that projectine hormone management can be employed. This should lead to a marked improvement in the percentage of positive responses obtained in the treatment of metastasing breast carcinoma.