ABSTRACT
The idea of using combinations of drugs and hormones in the treatment of malignancy is not new and has been the subject of a good deal of analysis and debate in relation to breast cancer. There are several reasons why this approach merits serious consideration. The clinical management of endocrine-related cancers of the breast, endometrium, and prostate has tended to emphasize the ideal situation of bringing about a major reduction in tumor bulk by a hormonal manipulation. In fact, it has become customary to describe a tumor as being hormone-dependent if it regresses upon withdrawal of hormone, and hormone-responsive if it regresses upon administration of hormone. Progression was defined by Foulds as the development of a tumor by way of permanent, irreversible, qualitative change in one or more of the characters of its cells. Regressions followed each procedure and the tumor size was successfully held in check.
