Testosterone Propionate Therapy in Breast Cancer

A CONTINUING collaborative study of hormonal therapy of recurrent, primary inoperable and metastatic carcinoma of the female breast, sponsored by the Cancer Chemotherapy National Service Center of the National Cancer Institute, has been conducted since 1957 by a group of investigators at 23 institutions. New hormonal preparations have been administered to patient groups under protocol standards1in double-blind fashion in conjunction with known hormonal reference standards. This procedure allows for objective evaluation of the new compounds as well as established anticancer agents such as testosterone propionate. The present report details results of testosterone propionate therapy in 521 women beginning therapy between Jan 16, 1957, and Sept 24, 1960, under the group protocol and followed through Dec 31, 1963. Clinical Material and Methods Only women with advancing disease previously untreated with hormones are eligible for protocol therapy, and all patients must be naturally or artificially postmenopausal. A randomization scheme based on