Aminoglutethimide treatment in advanced breast cancer: an efficient therapy as a late endocrine alternative in a sequential therapeutic approach.

During the last 2 years we have treated 24 patients (23 females and 1 male) with aminoglutethimide plus glucocorticoid for advanced breast cancer. More than half of the patients had received more than 3 systemic treatments before start of aminoglutethimide (AG), and at least half of the patients had been given more than 2 different endocrine regimens. There were 8 previous responders to endocrine therapy and in 10 patients steroid receptor status predicted response to therapy. Nine of 22 patients (two had to stop after less than 1 month due to acute toxicity) had an objective response; there were 2 complete responders. Most side effects were not serious, subsiding within a few weeks. In one patient agranulocytosis was observed. AG with glucocorticoid replacement seems to be an effective treatment as a late endocrine alternative in a sequence of different endocrine regimens.