Clinical trials in malignant disease

The detailed results are given of a clinical trial to evaluate simple ovarian radiation (X-ray castration) for breast cancer. The over-all results at 3, 5, and 7 years show apparent advantage to ovarian radiation at statistical levels just short of the 1 : 20 conventional index. The findings for a large post-operative group randomly allocated shortly after operation are significant at conventional levels. A number of subgroups are studied without yielding any useful indications, as to the type of case most influenced. They do show, however, that the differences are demonstrable in stage 1 cases and in post-menopausal women. Analyses of the incidence of recurrences and metastases seem to suggest some degree of inhibition of these sequel˦ in the radiated cases.