There are numerous ways to treat advanced mammary cancer. But only one form of therapy should be employed at a time in most cases, a Los Angeles physician told AMA's Clinical Convention.
Noting that palliative treatment of inoperable or recurrent breast cancer presents a major challenge to the physician, Arthur J. Donovan, MD, continued:
"Unfortunately, valid predictive criteria for determination of the form of therapy most likely to achieve significant palliation in the individual patient do not exist."
Dr. Donovan, assistant professor, Department of Surgery, University of Southern California, and Los Angeles County General Hospital, said that when a specific type of therapy is started, it is desirable to evaluate it for at least three months unless the disease progresses rapidly.
After Trial Period
If, after the trial period, efficacy is lacking, a different therapeutic approach should be attempted, he counseled, adding, however:"The 'shotgun' approach would seem to have