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Hormone‐induced and spontaneous regression of metastatic renal cancer
Author(s) -
Bloom H. J. G.
Publication year - 1973
Publication title -
cancer
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.052
H-Index - 304
eISSN - 1097-0142
pISSN - 0008-543X
DOI - 10.1002/1097-0142(197311)32:5<1066::aid-cncr2820320507>3.0.co;2-f
Subject(s) - medicine , cancer , hormone , hormone therapy , regression , oncology , breast cancer , psychology , psychoanalysis
Ten publications between 1964 and 1971 suggest that tumor regression can be induced by hormone therapy in a limited number of patients with metastatic renal cancer. Subjective improvement occurs in about 50% of treated cases. Of 272 collected cases from the various reports (including a personal series of 80) who were treated with progestins or androgens, the overall objective response rate was 15%, the range being 6%‐33%. In the present author's series, if gravely‐ill patients who died within 6 weeks are excluded, tumor regression was seen in 22% of cases, and in 27 of the men. Objective improvement is usually evident within 2 to 6 weeks of commencing treatment. Although the response is usually incomplete, or of limited duration, hormone therapy may offer a new lease of life to seriously ill and elderly patients for up to 2 or 3 years. Special consideration is given to spontaneous regression as a possible explanation for the responses observed during hormone administration. From the available evidence it is concluded that this treatment, and not a coincidental natural event, is responsible for the improvement.