Progress in basic research has made it necessary to redetermine the possibility of classic endocrine therapy for the treatment of patients with breast cancer. Exemplary, close cooperation between biochemis- try and animal and clinical research led to a truly interdisciplinary and international exchange of ideas and experience at a symposium held in autumn 1978 in Heidelberg. We owe our thanks to ICI-Pharma for the kind support of this sym- posIUm. The participation of Charles Huggins in the meeting as honorary chairman signified to all participants the meaning of this joint endeavour. It was...

Franz Gross died suddenly during preparations for the meeting. He would have taken great pleasure in summarizing in this preface the aims and results of a gathering which so clearly bore his imprint as Chairman of the Scientific Program Committee. His sudden passing away is deeply regretted by all of us: organizers, speakers and participants. We greatly respect him for his exceptional abilities, his impact on science and his qualities as a human being. He provided the impulse for a well balanced and topical scientific program. We therefore dedicate the proceedings of this symposium to his...