Table 1.
Patient demographic and disease characteristics at baseline
| Characteristics | Patients (n = 36) | % |
|---|---|---|
| Median age (range), years | 55.5 (31–78) | |
| Menopausal status | ||
| Premenopausal a | 8 | 22.2 |
| Postmenopausal | 28 | 77.8 |
| Disease‐free interval, years b | ||
| >5 | 18 | 50.0 |
| ≤5 | 7 | 19.4 |
| Pathologic type | ||
| Invasive ductal carcinoma | 33 | 91.7 |
| Invasive lobular carcinoma | 2 | 5.6 |
| Tubular carcinoma | 1 | 2.7 |
| PgR status | ||
| Positive | 32 | 88.9 |
| Negative | 4 | 11.1 |
| Metastatic sites | ||
| Nonvisceral | 21 | 58.3 |
| Bone | 23 | 63.9 |
| Bone‐only | 2 | 5.6 |
| Visceral disease | 15 | 41.7 |
| Any lung | 11 | 30.6 |
| Pleural | 5 | 13.9 |
| Peritoneum | 1 | 2.8 |
| No. of disease sites | ||
| 1–3 | 9 | 25.0 |
| 4–6 | 9 | 25.0 |
| 7–9 | 7 | 19.4 |
| ≥10 | 11 | 30.6 |
| De novo metastatic disease | 11 | 30.6 |
| Adjuvant ET | ||
| Antiestrogen | 14 | 38.9 |
| Aromatase inhibitor | 4 | 11.1 |
| Antiestrogen followed by aromatase inhibitor | 2 | 5.6 |
| None | 5 | 13.9 |
| Prior ET for metastatic disease | ||
| None | 27 | 75.0 |
| Yes | 9 | 25.0 |
| Prior ET type for metastatic disease | ||
| Antiestrogen ± LH‐RH analog | 1 | 2.8 |
| Aromatase inhibitor ± LH‐RH analog | 8 | 22.2 |
| Prior sensitivity to ET | ||
| Primary resistance | 1 | 2.7 |
| Secondary resistance | 23 | 63.8 |
| Prior chemotherapy for metastatic disease | ||
| None | 31 | 86.1 |
| Yes | 5 | 13.9 |
| Treatment immediately preceding fulvestrant | ||
| None | 12 | 33.3 |
| Chemotherapy | 4 | 11.1 |
| Antiestrogen | 7 | 19.4 |
| Aromatase inhibitor | 13 | 36.1 |
| Progression‐free survival | ||
| Events | 19 (range 1.8–28.0 months) | 52.8 |
| Censored | 17 (range 5.6–19.4 months) | 47.2 |
| With negative 18F‐FES lesions | ||
| None | 26 | 72.2 |
| Yes | 10 | 27.8 |
a
For premenopausal women, fulvestrant was given upon the administration of gonadotropin‐releasing hormone agonist.
b
Patients with stage IV breast cancer at initial diagnosis were excluded (n = 11).
Abbreviations: ER, estrogen receptor; ET, endocrine therapy; FES, fluoroestradiol; LH‐RH, luteinizing hormone releasing hormone; PgR, progesterone receptor.